Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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UM T here's a certain level of artistry involved in building the perfect garage. We're not talking about that overstuffed storage space attached to most suburban homes, but rather the showpiece stand-alone, often a striking architectural statement with a six- figure price tag. Architect Greg Colling says they've been showing up in Boston's most exclusive suburbs for the past five years: "I've seen an increase in the market for specialty buildings such as garages to store pri- vate car collections. Sports cars are today's art collection," he says. For car collectors with land to spare, the super-garage can be a BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 103 Wetterau's garage Conrad worthwhile investment that increases property values, say the principals at Wellesley and Weston real estate firm Benoit Mizner Simon & Co. The buildings, which range in size from several hundred to several thousand square feet, might run up to $350,000 for a fully loaded man cave, com- plete with car lifts, integrated audio-visual systems, and well-stocked bars. Just as important, these garages can provide climate-controlled storage for investment-grade vehicles, as well as the convenience of hav- ing an auto collection within arm's reach—reason enough for many owners to justify the expense. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY RYAN