Need a place to park the Ferrari?
Developers have lodged plans for a luxury storage facility in Islington they say will cater for the increasingly gentrified inner-city apartment scene.
"The Bolthole" is a four-storey converted warehouse which will provide storage rooms for residents who need somewhere to park a sports car, boat, art collection or anything else they do not have room for at home.
The spaces could also be used for commercial purposes, including as art or music studios, under the Milford Street site's general industrial zoning.
The development has a 400-square metre rooftop lounge with sauna, ice bath, bathrooms, library, kitchen and sun deck.
The storage spaces will be for sale with a likely asking price of at least $450,000 for the smallest 65-square metre room. Basic 35-square metre self-storage units are selling in Sydney for $245,000.
The site is not zoned for residential purposes.
The two Newcastle men behind the project, Dave Hughes and Julian Morton, hope to build other Bolthole developments across Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Morton said rapid gentrification and the growing apartment population in the inner-city had created a market for such spaces.
"The Bolthole is designed for enthusiasts whose businesses or their valuable or sentimental objects, projects or passions have outgrown conventional spaces or can't be accommodated in their downsized living environment," Mr Morton said.
"It is also about creating a space that supports people's business and lifestyle interests as well as creating a community for like-minded people."
The development will include a car lift to carry vehicles to and from the ground floor, a detailing and wash bay and online concierge.
Major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne have luxury car storage warehouses, and commercial property developer Anthony Bryson has a high-end storage facility planned for Perth, but Mr Hughes and Mr Morton believe their for-sale spaces will be an Australian first.
"We want to create spaces, and curate communities, where passions can be shared," Mr Morton said.
"In The Bolthole, you can spend your time doing whatever your interests or passions are in line with the facility's zoned permissible uses.
"Whether that's collecting classic cars, art, whiskey or wine, recording music or podcasts, sensitive document storage or personal and business development, people are limited only by their imagination."
Mr Hughes and Mr Morton also plan to build three "luxury" townhouses on a corner block next to the storage building.
