The Car Barn

Project Scope

The Car Barn is a high-end, temperature-controlled vehicle storage facility designed for car enthusiasts who want more than a place to park their vehicles. The 28,500-square-foot facility combines specialized vehicle storage with detailing capabilities, client amenities, and space for events, creating a destination built around the automotive experience.

From the beginning, the client wanted to maximize the number of vehicles the facility could accommodate while keeping the overall building footprint as small and efficient as possible. During programming and schematic design, Haley Ward worked closely with the client to rethink the use of space and identify opportunities to increase storage capacity through strategic planning and vertical storage. The result was a facility that is significantly more efficient, with nearly twice the storage capacity originally anticipated. The facility currently accommodates 18 four-high car storage lifts and has the capacity to support an additional 60 four-high car storage lifts as future demand grows.

The smaller footprint also delivered significant cost savings. By reducing the size of the facility, the project no longer required the planned Cultec stormwater management system, saving the client approximately $1 million in construction costs while also increasing the facility’s potential profitability and return on investment.

The unique requirements of a high-end vehicle storage facility extended well beyond the building layout. Haley Ward worked closely with Obsessed Garage to coordinate the specialized equipment and infrastructure needed for the facility, including vehicle lifts, dry ice detailing equipment, compressed air hose lines, water lines, and other technical systems. The storage area also features a suspended 14-by-34-foot tunable LED light fixture positioned above the center of the main drive aisle. The lighting can be adjusted to different color temperatures, allowing vehicles to be viewed under lighting conditions that best complement their individual colors and finishes.

The facility’s design incorporates a modern interpretation of the traditional barn aesthetic, with insulated metal panels forming the exterior walls and corrugated metal panels separating the storage and administrative areas. A painted stripe visually connects the storage and office portions of the building, while the office entry features a glass enclosure and faux wood beams that reinforce the barn-inspired character. The office also includes a racing simulator for clients, while the rear of the facility houses a car wash and two detailing bays equipped for dry ice detailing.

The result is a specialized facility that combines high-end vehicle storage, detailing, client amenities, and event space within a carefully optimized footprint. By finding ways to use the building more efficiently rather than simply making it larger, Haley Ward helped the client create more storage capacity, eliminate a significant construction expense, and develop a facility designed to support long-term business growth.

Market

• Commercial

Services

Project Data