In Minnesota, where winters are bitterly cold, the super-rich are turning huge garages into veritable luxury sanctuaries for their collections of cars, boats, and other expensive “toys.” These spaces, dubbed “Garage Mahals,” may include living rooms, giant televisions, bar area, and even pickleball courts. However, these millionaire whims are exasperating neighbors, and are sparking legal battles and zoning disputes; in Victoria, for example, residents of one neighborhood have protested a 600-square-foot garage.
Cities are trying to put limits on these mammoth constructions, and impose stricter regulations, but millionaires are resorting to the trick of turning these spaces into “shouses” (shop houses), which combine the living area with their mega-warehouses, to get around the restrictions. Residents argue, however, that these structures violate urban codes and environmental regulations.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, another legal battle has also arisen in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis-Saint Paul that has lasted for several years, over the case of a waterfront home in Wayzata in which the owner built a so-called “garage mahal.” This is a detached structure of more than 148.649 square feet, large enough to hold an RV and other vehicles. “It’s a big deal,” the judge said in a 2022 hearing. “It’s not like the small garage I have on the edge of my property where I park my Honda.” In this case, neighbors who have to drive by the garage every day on their shared driveway sued the owner, alleging violations of city codes and environmental regulations. The plaintiffs lost their battle but are considering an appeal, according to their attorney.
