This $7 Million Apartment In Chelsea Is Home To One Of The World's Most Expensive Parking Spots

Julie Zeveloff

Image: screenshot via New York Times

Last week, the New York Times' Ken Belson took a look at a Chelsea apartment with a unique amenity--an indoor garage on the 11th floor, accessible by a car-sized elevator.

The three-bedroom apartment, on 11th Avenue, is currently on the market for $7 million. At that price, the 300-square-foot "en suite sky garage" would be valued at more than $800,000, making it one of the most expensive places to park a car.

Click here to see the super expensive parking spot >

How does it work? Belson explains:

To park cars at their apartments, drivers pull up to a black door on 11th Avenue where an electronic reader that operates like an E-ZPass opens the gate. After the driver pulls inside, the door shuts. Drivers then make a left turn, where the reader prompts an elevator gate to open.

Once the car is inside the elevator, a flat-panel display on the wall reminds the driver to shut off the engine. Infrared sensors monitor the car’s position and, when needed, the driver is prodded to back up or pull forward. The elevator automatically goes to the owner’s floor, where the driver backs the car into the garage space.

Safety features include fire-rated walls and doors, overhead sprinklers, and sensors that detect carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide that can trigger vents to open.

The 11th Avenue highrise, the only one of it's kind in New York City, isn't the only sky garage concept that's been buzzed about lately. A similar blueprint by Porsche Design Group was just approved in South Florida, at an estimated cost of $560 million.

We've got some highlights from the New York Times' tour of the sky garage--you can watch it here.

The highrise is located in far West Chelsea, not far from Chelsea Piers.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

At 19 stories tall, the higher apartments offer sweeping views of Manhattan and the Hudson River.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

This 3-bedroom apartment is on the market for $7 million.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

The views might be nice, but the real selling point is the "en suite sky garage."

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Here's how it works: a driver pulls into the gate on 24th Street.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Next, a reader prompts the elevator to open.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Flatscreen panels warn the driver to stop and turn off the engine.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

And up it travels, with the driver still inside.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Once the elevator arrives at the driver's floor, he backs into the garage space.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Here's the layout.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Inside, the spaces are heated. The vehicles are also treated to a great view.

Image: screenshot from New York Times

Need space to park 100 cars?