Car condos are coming to North America's largest cities—first New York and now Toronto.
An article by Joshua Chong and Ivy Mak reports that a developer has plans to build a new "penthouse" for cars: "Toronto-based real estate brokerage firm Metropolitan Commercial Realty recently announced plans to build what it describes as the city’s first-ever 'car condo.'"
The development team, known as ToyBx, is still working through the planning and zoning approvals process for 180,000-square-foot facility housing boast 195 units and 39 penthouse suites. "Units start from 565 sq. ft. and can house a minimum of four cars," according to the article.
The story about Toronto's condos for cars development is the second example of car condos shared by Planetizen in recent months. In August, the news was about a developer in New York City converted a garage on the Upper East Side into a condominium for cars, asking $350,000 for a spot.
Both articles put this news in the context of the pandemic-related upheaval in urban real estate markets—though with slight differences in the examples. In New York, the developers used adaptive reuse to make a new kind of space for more cars after many residents and the daytime office population moved away from the city during the pandemic or bought cars for the first time.
In Toronto, the developer of a new building has responded to criticism about the symbolism of the development (more space for cars while many are struggling to afford housing for humans) by arguing that the development site isn't zoned for residential development.
"I'm sure we're going to get, you know, some people pushing back because of the hard economic times due to COVID, but we're real estate developers and investors and we're filling the void in the market," says Ming Zee, president of Metropolitan Commercial Realty Inc., is quoted as saying in the article by Chong and Mak.
FULL STORY: Toronto’s first ever car condo is coming to the city and some housing experts are calling it ‘disrespectful’
One Pandemic Real Estate Bet: Condos for Cars
The possibility of many more urban dwellers driving than ever before, even in transit-rich locations like New York City, is still very real.
Did the Pandemic End the Car's Domination of New York Streets?
Imagining a post-car (or car-lite) New York City.
New York Poised to Become a Biking City
Could the pandemic be a tipping point for a century of car-centric planning in New York City's to give way to a more bike-friendly city?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.
Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.
German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie