'Small house, big garage': Residential component proposed for Naperville's Iron Gate

For the last several years, founder and developer Tom Burgess has watched Iron Gate Motor Condos in Naperville transform from a mere concept to a close-knit community built on common interests and social camaraderie.

Now he's looking to add a component that is often the subject of inquiries from prospective buyers: permanent living spaces.

An industrial builder by trade and an avid car enthusiast, Burgess initially designed the gated complex as a safe place for people to store their specialty vehicles and other large collectibles. The garage condominiums can double as a gathering space, with owners frequently building out their units with amenities such as kitchens, bathrooms, living room furniture and elaborate decor.

But an industrial zoning designation prohibits bedrooms within the garages, located along Ferry Road in far northwest Naperville. So as an empty-nester, Burgess said he wanted to explore creating a "small house, big garage" residential piece that caters to the interests and lifestyles of those drawn to the Iron Gate community.

"This really is kind of right-sizing my life and my real estate to accommodate what I enjoy in life," Burgess said. "If it works for me, as the original car condo concept did, why wouldn't it work for others like me?"

In the next phase of development, Burgess has proposed constructing six residential buildings with 51 total units, 37 of which would be built as townhouses with large garages that can fit four to about a dozen cars, he said.

The remaining 14 units adjacent to Ferry Road would be a live/work model, where the operator of a first-floor business would also own and live in an upper-level condominium. That product plays into a shift in work dynamics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Burgess said, pointing to a desire for a shorter commute and greater convenience.

Potential business and condo owners could include financial planners, physical trainers, massage therapists, yoga instructors, architects and other professional services, Burgess said, though "we'll see what the market brings us."

Planning and zoning commissioners unanimously supported the next phase of Iron Gate development plans, saying the residential component enhances an already unique and well-designed asset in Naperville.

The project would require code deviations for building materials and land use to allow single-family attached residences and the live/work product in an industrially zoned area.

"It's something that is definitely well-known in the surrounding suburbs as a differentiator," Commissioner Manas Athanikar said.

The proposal now goes to the city council for final consideration.

Despite the unusual nature of his development, Burgess said city staff members have been easy to work with and accommodating of his ideas every step of the way.

"When you show up in a community and say 'car condo,' where are they supposed to go with that? It's not in any zoning (rules), not in any code book," he said. "They've really gone the extra mile to understand and embrace it and make it part of the fabric of Naperville."