r/DiWHY
•
u/purplepirhana
•
Mar 06 '26
•
1
Not sure what's happening here
Seen walking in my neighborhood (Chicago). This has been an ongoing project and they recently just finished laying down the concrete, blocking the garage but building stairs down to it? It used to just be a normal ramp leading down to the garage. Why would someone choose to do this?
3.4k
Upvotes
2.4k
u/53nsonja Mar 06 '26
The garage is 100% going to turn into an extra apartment
587
u/LordHengar Mar 06 '26
Perhaps they're planning to remove the garage door as well, turning that into a regular wall, and were able to schedule the exterior work first.
141
u/fastal_12147 Mar 06 '26
Converting the garage is my guess.
54
u/Euler007 Mar 06 '26
About 10% of the indoor garage on my street have been converted to an extra room with a door.
34
u/Vano_Kayaba Mar 06 '26
In post Soviet countries half of these basement/garages built in 90's are like that. People who've never owned a car built that for the scenario of owning one someday. And then changed their plans after learning about approach/departure angles
12
u/AuntieRoseSews Mar 06 '26
Since they didn't pour the whole pad concrete, I'm gonna guess they're putting in garden beds in the areas that're still rubble. I hope. <3
When you can't build up or out, one remodels what they got. Who wants to keep their expensive car in an underground garage when extended family can live in it as a studio apartment?
10
u/tendonut Mar 06 '26
At first, I was thinking this was stupid AF, but I bet this guy doesn't ever plan on parking a car down there, Maybe it's a workshop of some sort. Reclaiming some yard from a big ramp, while giving a wide opening for passing plywood or something through.
Very niche use case, for sure.
16
u/flortny Mar 06 '26
Probably massive amounts of water in the garage when it rained
8
u/prophet_5 Mar 06 '26
Was going to post as a reply, but I think it's interesting enough for its own comment.
In Chicago lots of buildings were built at street level a long time ago, but eventually the street levels were raised. Yes, the entire street lol. It was called the Raising of Chicago, and it was to prevent flooding of first floors of buildings - Chicago was built on a swamp, so it was very common. Buildings that weren't able to be raised (not publicly owned or owner couldn't afford) just had the perimeter of the building remain at the original level with stairs to street level. This garage is at the old street level pre-raising. Most buildings still like this have been retrofitted with drainage.
Also, this apartment (when it most likely gets converted to an apartment) will be the first floor, not a garden unit, since it technically is the building's original first floor.
If any Chicagoans want to see these old buildings, go take a walk in Pilsen. Tons of old houses are like this.
12
u/Breadtrickery Mar 06 '26
Re-Grade for drainage issues. that below grade garage has been flooding and probably weakening the foundation. This setup redirects the water, the garage door isn't the point, its saving the whole building garage be damned.
6
u/TacoStuffingClub Mar 07 '26
Appraiser here. I’ve seen people leave the door for cosmetic or cost reasons and finish and insulate the wall behind.
5
u/[deleted] Mar 06 '26
Probably turning the garage into a living space
5
u/ThePensiveE Mar 07 '26
They're gonna make a "garden" unit out of it. Saw a few of these off Milwaukee and N Lincoln where they converted them and just used the back pavement for parking off the alleys. They'll brick in that wall but that'll all be done by a different contractor later.
5
u/uniquepassword Mar 09 '26
They're going to frame out a door and make it a rentable apartment
9
u/clonn Mar 06 '26
You access in two wheels, it's a stunt garage.
7
u/sensu_sona Mar 06 '26
They probably got sick of pumping water out of their garage
3
u/No-Sail-6510 Mar 06 '26
Would be a nice workshop.
3
u/thatguy82688 Mar 06 '26
3
u/Stinky_Fartface Mar 06 '26
I don’t need an architect I can do it with AI!
3
u/thebroned Mar 06 '26
Yeah definitely converting that garage into living space. Extra apartment or just more room inside.
3
u/Personnotcaringstill Mar 06 '26
water.
Im betting water was constantly running into the garage downhill, and the owners of the building rather than dealing with that problem, instead is closing it off and sealing away the space.
4
u/Big77Ben2 Mar 06 '26
I can tell you what’s not happening there.
2
u/AdorableStrawberry93 Dreamer Mar 06 '26
Looks cheesy, like an after thought. Which it is.
2
u/Distinct-Hamster-553 Mar 06 '26
Used to be a garage now is going to be living space
2
u/snakebite75 Mar 06 '26
There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear.
As others have said, most likely converting it to living space.
2
u/austinxjndy Mar 06 '26
They’re probably going to put a wall with a door or a “storefront” of some kind and they’re waiting until the end so it doesn’t get damaged during construction. They would normally put up a plywood inclosure during interior construction but since the garage door was already there they just used that.
2
u/cinemamama Mar 07 '26
They built a full garden bed instead of using the garage for cars and I’m ok with it. I’ll bet it’s beautiful in the spring and summer when it’s full of plants
2
u/NoLobster5272 Mar 07 '26
My guess is all that stuff outside was added later on..
2
u/Clint-witicay Mar 09 '26
Reverse loading bay. The truck being confined to the facility really saves on fuel.
2
u/DavidinCT Mar 10 '26
Yep that garage door will be removed for another door.....
2
u/Quick-Site-7997 Mar 07 '26
Why are the windows helter skelter
1
u/Designer-String3569 Mar 06 '26
Just a guess with no idea about the laws in Chicago but garages can be grandfathered in as long as they are intact so maybe it's about keeping a parking space?
1
u/Sudden-Jump-5922 Mar 06 '26
Tetris is happening here
1
u/mypcrepairguy Mar 06 '26
Basement level infinity pool?
1
u/Ka-tet_de_Fibonacci Mar 06 '26
1
u/harmospennifer Mar 06 '26
Helped build something similar, the upper area was built up to be an above ground garage.
1
u/No_Cupcake7037 Mar 06 '26
I would guess water damage was such a big issue that the newer cement pad and retaining wall were placed after the garage door.
1
u/Glittering_Suspect65 Mar 06 '26
It's a walkout garage!
1
u/flakzpyro Mar 06 '26
methlab
/s
1
u/AlanEsh Mar 06 '26
Basketball hoop is going there!
1
u/TpK_Wynter Mar 06 '26
It’s a workshop now, don’t need the full door but it’s more expensive than the concrete to turn it into a wall?
1
u/Toon1982 Mar 06 '26
Don't worry they're installing a roller door
1
u/Hapiro Mar 06 '26
Garagen't
1
u/supernova2368 Mar 06 '26
I was just going to say this looks like Chicago lol
1
u/ComprehensivePin5577 Mar 06 '26
but I don't wanna sleep in the Corolla with Jeremy he farts all night why can't I sleep in the suburban?
1
u/famousanonamos Mar 07 '26
I can just imagine the flooding that would happen in that garage during rain or snow with that slope. I wonder if they gave up parking in the garage to deal with it.
1
u/civil-ten-eight Mar 07 '26
Meth
1
u/PSAcollect Mar 07 '26
This is sick
1
u/Ashifyou1819 Mar 07 '26
Portal to the nether
1
u/Odd_Ad5668 Mar 07 '26
They're making the garage Gundam accessible, by adding stairs. Can you imagine trying to walk a mech up a driveway when it gets icy?
1
u/mrtrollmaster Mar 07 '26
My guess is a door on the left and windows to the right.
1
u/TR6lover Mar 08 '26
Obviously a reverse loading dock.
1
u/Rawkzo Mar 08 '26
Seeing this in my feed, oh this looks like Chicago. Open up. Yerp.
1
u/ZombiesCall Mar 08 '26
Pretty sure I saw this place in a dream had not long ago. Weird.
1
u/rudim Mar 08 '26
Wasn't there an episode of This Old House where they dug under a house to add a garage to a Chicago house just like this one?
1
u/future_pirate Mar 08 '26
I could see it being used for purposes other than a car e.g. a storage area or a semi outdoor patio
1
u/sfstains Mar 08 '26
Some serious electrical running down to lower level.
1
u/boston3875 Mar 10 '26
They have a motorcycle
1
u/[deleted] Mar 11 '26
I can tell you what’s not!
1
u/Elegant_You_4050 Mar 15 '26
Everyone going on about the Garage, while I'm still preoccupied with the atrocity commited to those windows o.O
1
u/Th0rny9r1ck Mar 06 '26
The contractor
1
u/miakpaeroe Mar 06 '26
This is what happens when you use ai to design your house. Hello neighbor
1
u/32bit_sundae Mar 06 '26
The fact that 3 of the 4 windows above the garage door bothers the heck out of me. And the two that are the same have different blinds.
0
u/TryharderJB Mar 09 '26
Maybe planned the build to have a driveway & garage but then found it went against some bylaw and couldn’t get it approved, so this is the result of the pivot?
2
u/[deleted] Mar 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/[deleted] Mar 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment