Multi-unit housing with integral garage

Abstract

A design concept has now been developed that provides for a multi-unit housing having a number of design and construction advantages. In a type 5 (IBC) structure, a multi-story building is constructed over a single foundation. The building is constructed so that pairs of residential units are positioned in a generally back-to-back configuration separated by a non-load bearing unit separation wall. This unit separation wall may be easily moved or positioned after the shell of the building has been constructed so as to customize the size of an individual unit. A central drive lane is positioned on the ground level of the building under the upper floors of the structure. The central drive lane provides access to individual private garages which open onto the central drive lane, and the garages can provide access to a ground floor vestibule. Other living areas are positioned on the floors above the ground floor. The drive lane and garage openings are concealed from by a person viewing from the exterior of the building. The unit separation wall can be placed in a plurality of positions thus allowing for the shell of the building to be built first. Then, at a later time, individual units can be sold, the unit separation wall installed, and the individual units finished. In this manner the design allows the consuming public to pick the optimum size distribution of units. Additionally the design provides for a maximum of livable square footage for a given lot size.

1 . A multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure built according to type 5 (IBC), wherein the housing structure is built under a zoning code setting minimum open air requirements and maximum height requirements, and wherein the structure has two fronts and two sides, the structure comprising:
 a ground floor having a central drive lane and private garage spaces positioned with garage doors opening on either side of the central drive lane;   an exterior wall substantially surrounding the ground floor so as to restrict the view of the drive lane and garage doors from the exterior of the structure;   a side entrance to the central drive lane;   a plurality of living units positioned in the floors above the ground floor, each unit associated with an individual private garage;   a vestibule area positioned on the ground floor, connected to the private garage space and providing access to the floor of the unit above the garage space; and wherein a first set of units are configured so as to have a front facing wall aligned along a first side of the structure, and wherein a second set of units are configured so as to have a front facing wall aligned along a second side of the structure, such that the first set of units are positioned in a paired back-to-back configuration with respect to the second set of units with a unit separation wall dividing each of the paired back-to-back units.   
   
   
       2 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  further comprising a ground floor entry door for each unit wherein the entry door opens to the vestibule room. 
   
   
       3 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  further comprising a roof top deck connected to each unit. 
   
   
       4 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  further comprising a balcony connected to each unit on the second floor or the third floor. 
   
   
       5 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  further comprising a gate positioned on the ground floor so as to cover the central drive lane entrance. 
   
   
       6 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  wherein the unit separation wall dividing each unit in a paired back-to-back arrangement is a non-load bearing wall. 
   
   
       7 . The multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure according to  claim 1  wherein each unit is surrounded by three load bearing walls and one unit separation wall. 
   
   
       8 . A three story multi-unit type 5 (IBC) building comprising:
 a building shell having four external load bearing walls;   a plurality of units positioned within the building shell, wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a paired back-to-back configuration, such that two individual units in the paired back-to-back configuration are divided by a non-load bearing unit separation wall, and wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent configuration such that units in the side-by-side adjacent configuration are divided by a load bearing side demising wall;   a central drive lane positioned on the ground floor below the second floor of the building;   a plurality of private garage spaces having garage door openings wherein each private garage space is positioned on either side of the central drive lane such that its garage door opens onto the drive lane, and wherein each private garage space is associated with an individual unit;   a vestibule associated with each individual unit, the vestibule connected to each private garage space, and each vestibule connected to the second floor of its associated unit;   a first floor front door associated with each unit providing access between the building exterior and the vestibule; and   wherein the building structure conceals the ground floor garage from view from the exterior of the building structure.   
   
   
       9 . The building according to  claim 8  having two individual units configured in the back-to-back arrangement. 
   
   
       10 . The building according to  claim 8  having three individual units wherein two of the three units are configured in the paired back-to-back arrangement, and wherein the third unit is configured in a side-by-side adjacent relationship with the two back-to-back units such that a side demising load bearing wall is positioned between the third unit and the two back-to-back units. 
   
   
       11 . The building according to  claim 8  having four individual units wherein the first and second of the four units are configured in a paired back-to-back configuration, and the third and fourth of the four units are also configured in a paired back-to-back configuration, and wherein the first and second units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent relationship within the building with respect to the third and fourth units, and wherein a non-load bearing unit separation wall divides the first and second units and a non-load bearing unit separation wall divides the third and fourth units, and wherein a side demising wall that is load bearing divides the first and second units from the third and fourth units. 
   
   
       12 . The building according to  claim 8  having six individual units configured such that the first and second of the four units are configured in a paired back-to-back configuration, the third and fourth of the four units are configured in a paired back-to-back configuration, and the fifth and sixth of the four units are configured in a paired back-to-back configuration,
 wherein the first and second units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent relationship within the building with respect to the third and fourth units, and the third and fourth units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent relationship within the building with respect to the fifth and sixth units,   wherein a non-load bearing unit separation wall divides the first and second units, a non-load bearing unit separation wall divides the third and fourth units, and a non-load bearing unit separation wall divides the fifth and sixth units, and   wherein a side demising load bearing wall that divides the first and second units from the third and fourth units, and a side demising load bearing wall divides the third and fourth units from the fifth and sixth units.   
   
   
       13 . A method for building a multi-unit type 5 (IBC) residential structure comprising the steps of:
 constructing a building shell having multiple parcels which can be arranged to configure a plurality of individual units within the shell, wherein the building comprises   a building shell having four external load bearing walls; a plurality of units positioned within the building shell, wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a paired back-to-back configuration, such that two individual units in the paired back-to-back configuration are divided by a non-load bearing unit separation wall, and wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent configuration such that units in the side-by-side adjacent configuration are divided by a load bearing side demising wall;   a central drive lane positioned on the ground floor below the second floor of the building;   a plurality of private garage spaces having garage door openings wherein each private garage space is positioned on either side of the central drive lane such that its garage door opens onto the drive lane, and wherein each private garage space is associated with an individual unit;   a vestibule associated with each individual unit, the vestibule connected to each private garage space, and each vestibule connected to the second floor of its associated unit;   a first floor front door associated with each unit providing access between the building exterior and the vestibule; and   wherein the building structure conceals the ground floor garage from view from the exterior of the building structure;   selecting a particular unit from among the plurality of unit options by combining individual parcels to create a unit; and   placing a unit separation wall within the building shell so as to create the selected unit configuration.   
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the step of constructing the building shell further comprises constructing a stair well for each possible unit, placing exterior windows, building a private garage space for each possible unit, and positioning a front door for each possible unit. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the step of constructing the building shell further comprises building at least three walls of each potential unit. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising the step of designing the multi-unit building and obtaining municipal permits for the construction of the shell building. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the step of selecting a particular unit is performed by the purchaser of the unit. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising the step of designing a plurality of floor plans for each of the plurality of units. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising the step of selecting a particular floor plan. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the step of selecting a particular floor plan is performed by the purchaser of the unit. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising the step of constructing the finished unit. 
   
   
       22 . A method for building a multi-unit three story type 5 (IBC) structure so as to provide for flexibility in selecting unit size and room layout after building the shell of the structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 designing a building with living space on the second and third floors of the building;   dividing areas on the second and third floor of each building into multiple parcels;   designing a plurality of potential units based on possible combinations of the individual parcels;   designing a plurality of potential floor plans for each potential unit;   constructing a building shell; and   offering potential units and potential floor plans for sale.   
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22  further comprising the step of requesting and receiving zoning permits for the building based on the design including the design of the potential units and floor plans. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22  further comprising the step of recording a plat for the building based on the building design having multiple parcels. 
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 22  further comprising building an individual unit without requesting a replat of the building. 
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the building is designed with a plurality of potential units such that the building comprises: a shell having four external load bearing walls; a plurality of units positioned within the building shell, wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a paired back-to-back configuration, such that two individual units in the paired back-to-back configuration are divided by a non-load bearing unit separation wall, and wherein at least some of the plurality of units are positioned in a side-by-side adjacent configuration such that units in the side-by-side adjacent configuration are divided by a load bearing side demising wall; a central drive lane positioned on the ground floor below the second floor of the building; a plurality of private garage spaces having garage door openings wherein each private garage space is positioned on either side of the central drive lane such that its garage door opens onto the drive lane, and wherein each private garage space is associated with an individual unit; a vestibule associated with each individual unit, the vestibule connected to each private garage space, and each vestibule connected to the second floor of its associated unit; a first floor front door associated with each unit providing access between the building exterior and the vestibule. 
   
   
       27 . A multi-building housing project configured to maximize open air space and minimize drive space, the project comprising:
 a first multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure building according to type 5 (IBC) having a ground floor central drive lane with an alignment;   a second multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure built according to standard  5 B (IBC) having a ground floor central drive lane with an alignment;   wherein the alignment of the first central drive lane and the alignment of the second central drive lane are substantially the same; and   an exterior drive lane in substantial alignment with the first central drive lane and the second central drive lane wherein the exterior drive lane connects the first and second central drive lane.   
   
   
       28 . The multi-building housing project according to  claim 27  wherein vehicular access to the second building must pass through the central drive lane of the first building. 
   
   
       29 . The multi-building housing project according to  claim 27  wherein a street access lane intersects the exterior drive lane at a substantially right angle. 
   
   
       30 . The multi-building housing project according to  claim 27  further comprising a third multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure built according to standard 5 (IBC) having a ground floor central drive lane with an alignment, wherein the alignment of the first central drive lane, the alignment of the second central drive lane, and the alignment of the third central drive lane are substantially the same; and wherein vehicular access to the third building must pass through the central drive lanes of the first and second buildings. 
   
   
       31 . The multi-building housing project according to  claim 27  further comprising a third multi-unit, multi-floor housing structure built according to standard 5 (IBC) having a ground floor central drive lane with an alignment, wherein the alignment of the first central drive lane and the alignment of the second central drive lane are substantially the same, and the alignment of the third central drive lane is substantially at a right angle to the alignment of the first and second drive lanes; and a second exterior drive lane that connects with the third central drive lane and intersects the exterior drive lane between the first and second buildings.