For most air travelers, scouting out a parking spot is an unpleasant fact of life. But those willing to pay at least $15,000 will soon be able to drive into their own private parking garages at Denver International Airport.
Airport Resort Parking LLC has announced plans to build 347 individual unheated garages that will be available only with leases of five, 10 or 20 years. Plans call for the first 30 units to be available in late October.
The $4 million project is located on the DIA grounds near Signature Flight Support, which provides service for private jets. Parking customers can walk to their private jets or a Signature Flight Support shuttle can transport them to the main terminal.
The project is the first of its kind at a major airport, said DIA co-manager Vicki Braunagel. Similar options exist at some smaller airports.
The garages will be marketed to mountain-home owners and companies whose employees travel frequently, said Chris Thomp son, an investor and company principal.
“There are a lot of second- home owners who can’t find a long-term place to park that’s secured from the elements of DIA,” Thompson said.
Project investors include L.C. Fulenwider Inc. and its officers, Cal Fulenwider, Bill Prather, Marcia Lujan, Thompson and Mark Throckmorton, as well as Snowy Mountain Investors and its president, Dale Haarr.
L.C. Fulenwider owns 7,500 acres around DIA. Snowy Mountain Investors has developed similar “car condominiums” at small Montana airports in Great Falls, Kalispell, Missoula and Bozeman.
Vail Valley Jet Center, which provides service for private jets in Vail, has seven heated and 48 unheated garages that rent for $150 to $210 a month, or $1,500 to $2,100 a year.
Only two or three unheated garages were available Monday, said Vail Valley Jet Center’s Laura Mansfield.
“We usually don’t have a hard time filling them up,” she said.
Joe Brancatelli, who runs a website for business travelers, questioned the viability of private airport garages but said, “You never know. The rich are different, and the rich are marketed to differently.”
High-end parking is in great demand, countered Rod Slifer, a partner at Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate in Vail. “Vail Resorts just finished (building) 110 parking spaces, and they sold them for $100,000 each,” he said. “Hello!”
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at kyamanouchi@denverpost.com or 303-820-1488.
