Growing up in Florida, my weekends were spent riding shotgun with my dad, owner of a car export business now 40 years running, as he explored the state in search of vintage or hard-to-find cars. I still remember the floor of his car full of Auto Traders. The sport was to find the collectors, and sometimes that meant driving hundreds of miles across the state. The thrill was in the discovery, turning down a dirt road under a tree canopy to arrive at a wooded estate and stumble upon a garage completely built-out full of cars, with their own workshops and lounge areas.
My love of the hunt naturally led me into real estate, where I specialize as a residential broker in historic and one-of-a-kind properties. Market trends tend to move in waves. During COVID it was short-term rentals. Now there’s a shift back to being social that feels here to stay, with the rise of private garage communities. Both revolve around leisure, but the key difference now is that people want places that offer both investment potential and a sense of connection. These garage communities are designed around social activities and driving, giving owners the opportunity to build relationships with like-minded neighbors.
Home for me is St. Petersburg, Florida, a peninsula in the center of the state surrounded by water. Our city is developing vertically and we’re now known for the tallest high-rise on the Gulf Coast (that just started move-ins) with a Waldorf Astoria taking its place at 50 stories in 2030. Which is why I was surprised when a sprawling private garage facility opened in our neighboring city, Tampa. It’s called The Motor Enclave. They carved out 200 acres, creating not just a members-only retreat, but a community space. They host public Cars “en” Coffee events and offer a 42,000-square-foot corporate entertaining venue. Owners have access to a 1.7-mile track with a two-acre skid pad, designed by Tilke Engineers & Architects, the firm behind modern Formula 1 circuits including Bahrain and Yas Marina. The most convenient part? It sits right next to Tampa International Airport, enabling fly-in weekends: land Friday, drive Saturday, depart Sunday.
The Motor Enclave houses serious collections without the usual exclusionary attitude.
