NEWS RELEASE

Contact

Garage Stories!

San Jose, Calif., May 27, 2008 — It can read like a horror story. If you’re an auto enthusiast with a growing car collection who’s thinking of adding extra garage space to your home, here’s a word of warning from people who know: you’d better buckle in for a long ride. Even if you have plenty of land, you’re looking at a frightening process full of unexpected twists and turns as you get the new garage designed, approved, and built before you’ll be able to wheel your pride and joy into the space. And be prepared for a few frustrating pit stops along the way.

Red Light, Green Light

Your journey begins with design and approval. You’ll start by hiring an architect to create drawings of what you have in mind. Hopefully, your home sits on a large piece of property. Many upscale communities have very specific setback and height requirements, as well as limits on the total amount of space allowed in attached or outlying structures on parcels of various sizes.

Assuming you have room, you’ll direct your architect to design your new garage exactly the way you want it. Expect to spend a number of weeks and several iterations going back and forth until you have a design that meets your requirements.

Now comes the really fun part: you get to take that set of drawings to your city planning department to obtain approval. Depending on the community you live in, you may also need the approvals of an architectural review board, planning commission, and perhaps even the full city council. During the public review process, you’ll meet neighbors you never knew existed, who will tell the planners that your garage is too big for the neighborhood, or interferes with their sight lines, or will be an eyesore, or some other complaint that may delay issuance of your permit. The entire process can consume weeks, months—or in some instances—even years.

This will mean more rounds with the architects to make the required changes, and more meetings with the planning department, planning commission, and possibly the city council, before you finally get the green light.

Backseat Driver

Next comes the building phase. Overseeing construction on your property is a little like being a backseat driver: you know where you want to go, but someone else is driving. You might ask them to make a left turn here or a right turn there, or to speed up or slow down—but the reality is, the contractor will get you to your destination whenever he feels like it. The impact on your family life can be significant—with lots of noise, dust, and frequent interruptions to check out one detail or another. Whether you like it or not, the construction team may become like members of your family—walking through your home any time they like, as if they lived there.

In addition, the costs can soar to as much as $500 per square foot, if not more. Many “veterans” of this process advise you to take your original budget estimate and timeline, double everything, and hope you are close to the real numbers and timetable. Great!

Still one day, your garage will at last be done. You’ll get the final signoff from the city, and you’ll be ready to move your car collection in. But it still may not be all fun.

Be prepared once again for an avalanche of complaints from the neighbors if you regularly start and run your 115-decibel cars in your garage. And if your cars—and the neighbors—continue to make enough noise, you may find the city back on your doorstep in a sequel to the original garage horror story.

Come to Club Auto Sport

Before you put yourself through all this, you may want to consider taking a side trip to Club Auto Sport car condominiums—a safe, secure place to store your car collection and enjoy exclusive club benefits and concierge-arranged services, plus all the potential benefits of property ownership in Silicon Valley.

Located at 521 Charcot Avenue, just off I-880 in San Jose’s “Golden Triangle”, Club Auto Sport is a purpose-built facility for the driven few—those whose love of cars has grown into a passion for collecting and showing or even racing them. At Club Auto Sport, you’ll find:

1. Fully customizable condominium units from 800 to 10,000 square feet—so you can find the perfect fit for your needs. Prices start at $249,00.


2. 24x7 access to your cars and state-of-the-art security—including web-based closed circuit cameras that enable you to check on your collection from home. A carbon dioxide sensor and automatic exhaust fans in each unit also let you run your cars when you like—with no nosy neighbors to complain. And the latest security and fire protection systems help safeguard your valuable collection.


3. An exclusive club where you can socialize and share your passion with others who have similar interests, and participate in a range of activities from exclusive track driving days to members-only touring.


4. Time-saving concierge-arranged services—from starting and running your cars and coordinating maintenance when required to picking up your dry cleaning.


5. Special support services, such as high-octane racing fuel and convenient waste oil recycling on-site.


6. A 10,000 square foot, gleaming, high tech showroom and clubhouse with 20-foot window walls—perfect for displaying your cars and enjoying others’ collections. You can also reserve the facility and engage the catering staff for social, charitable or business functions


7. A fully equipped conference room with audio and video support for important meetings, and an onsite fitness room for your daily workouts.


8. Special tax breaks that are only available in 2008, including Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 179 deductions up to $250,000 and bonus first-year depreciation of up $250,000—as well as other tax writeoffs.
9. The long-term potential for substantial appreciation in value, like other commercial properties in Silicon Valley.

If you aren’t ready to invest in a condominium unit, you can also rent space—for a single car to a handful—for any length of time through Borelli Motor Sports. Anyone renting space for two cars or more gets a membership in Club Auto Sport, the hottest club in town.

Your Car’s Home Away From Home

If your collection of exotic, classic, or high-performance race cars has outgrown your garage, perhaps it’s time to find them a new home. Club Auto Sport car condominiums can be your cars’ home away from home. To learn more about Club Auto Sport-Silicon Valley or arrange a personal tour, contact Larry Bengiveno at Borelli Investment Company at (408) 453-4700 or e-mail larry@borelli.com. Other Club Auto Sport locations are also planned, with one coming soon to Monterey. Let Club Auto Sport ensure all your garage stories have happy endings!

Borelli Investment Company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005, making it one of the oldest commercial real estate firms in the Santa Clara Valley. The company provides a full range of commercial real estate services—from development and construction management to land sales and consulting for sales and leasing. More information about Borelli Investment Company’s services may be obtained by calling (408) 453-4700 or visiting www.borell-inv.com.