Commission hears concept for 34‑unit 'car condominium' project at 701 Oakmont Lane; staff signals PUD path and strict use conditions

Developer Brad Albrecht of Torque Suites presented a preliminary concept on Nov. 12 to redevelop a vacant portion of the Ryan Companies parking area at 701 Oakmont Lane into 34 commercial condominium units tailored primarily for vehicle storage and related private uses.

Albrecht described a typical unit as roughly 1,200 square feet on the ground floor with an 18‑foot ceiling and a 400‑square‑foot mezzanine. He said the product is marketed to collectors and entrepreneurs who use the spaces as private storage/office or hobby spaces and emphasized that the proposal would prohibit consumer‑facing businesses and working on cars on site. The project plan includes a gated, fenced site, guest parking, outdoor living patios for some units, a clubhouse for member events and sprinkler systems in the buildings.

Scott, village staff, said the use does not fit neatly within the existing office/research district and indicated a Planned Unit Development (PUD) and map amendment would likely be the correct path. He explained that the PUD process allows the village to narrowly define permitted uses and to include enforceable restrictions in the ordinance and any PUD agreement. Commissioners asked about guest parking (developer provided eight guest spaces), fire access and turnaround, pricing (developer cited comparable projects with units in the low‑to‑mid hundreds of thousands), HOA enforcement and how the village would guard against future conversion to higher‑intensity industrial uses.

Commissioners generally welcomed redevelopment of an underused parcel but cautioned that approvals should clearly lock in use restrictions and include robust parking and access plans; staff said such conditions and operational restrictions are routinely captured in PUD ordinances and site‑plan approvals. The presentation was informational; staff and the developer will follow up if an application moves forward.