[glgene]

Kathy and I will be moving to the Villages (just don't know when). When we did the Villages Tour program last fall, we stayed in a Gardenia-style home. The garage has an angled-corner at the front, which I think renders impossible the parking of 2 cars in the garage (unless one of your cars was a very short car).

Would someone who reads this msg. who has a Gardenia model, please comment on my concern. We really like that style of home (other than the angled corner in the garage).

GL Gene

ps: Kathy and I talk (dream) about the Villages every weekend. We have vacationed there 3 times.

[swrinfla]

glgene:

My "siteplan," provided when I completed designing my own Gardenia a little over 4 years ago, depicts 2 cars in the garage. Each measures approx. 18 feet.

I note, however, that the car shown against that small angled wall does, in fact, seem to touch it! I envision having to get out of the car on the passenger side, in order to walk into the house. While technically capable of holding two cars, I think they'd be horribly cramped. And, unless you add to the garage by installing a golf cart portion, you'd not be able to have a golf cart as well as 2 cars!

Considerations: Will you absolutely positively without any doubt need 2 cars? It'd be a really real rarity here in TV! If you do, then you really must look for an expanded garage.

Other floor plans, although I have no real assurance of this, appear to me to offer pretty much the same size garage. My sketch says that my garage is 18.5' wide, 19'2.5" long. So, there's not one heck of a lot of room around. I think a reasonable "standard" is 20'x20'

If youre looking at new houses, I have the impression that many new Gardenias come with the separate golf cart garage, which may solve your problem. I have no use for a second car, being only me, so the only concern when I bought was whether my extended length Voyager would be too long!

Good hunting!

SWR

[SteveFromNY]

We easily fit 2 cars in our gardenia. Granted they are small (civic and focus) but when I've rented larger cars they went in too. We have "stuff" lining both sides, and it can be a little tight getting in and out - but because we have all the stuff, not because of the garage.
I just measured, and the cut starts at 16' from the door. Your car would need to be away from the wall some, so you probably have around 17' from the door to where your driver headlight would touch.
Generally we keep a golf cart and one car in, the other on the driveway. We will soon be trading in two cars for one and I am seriously thinking about getting a second golf cart. We rarely use a car!
If all the other aspects of the Gardenia appeal to you, I wouldn't let that cut corner stand in your way.

[glgene]

I really appreciate the 2 replies to my msg. about the Gardenia model (garage). When Kathy and I vacationed at the Villages last fall, we rented a Gardenia model, which included a golf cart garage addition.

Since we haven't lived at the Villages (but we will some day soon), we don't know if we'll want/need 2 cars and a golf cart, or 1 cart and a golf cart. If the latter, then the Gardenia matter doesn't matter. I just know that with the angled "front-near-the-house" entrance from the garage to the house, it crimps the length of a 2nd car in the garage. I currently have a Toyota Avalon. I don't think you could fit 2 cars that length in a Gardenia garage. I'm surprised that The Villages would crimp a garage from housing 2 cars.

Maybe my answer, if we decide to have 2 cars, is to have a Toyota Avalon and a shorter Volkswagon.

Seriously, I would appreciate further feedback from TV residents who have a Gardenia-style house with 2 cars. Does it work, or doesn't it?

Other than the garage concern, we love the "inside-the-house" design of a Gardenia.

GL Gene

We have a gardenia and a Chrysler van that we park right up by the angled portion of the garage. No problem at all getting in and out. I don't think you need to worry -- should handle 2 cars okay. Some people in our neighborhood keep a car on one side of the garage, golf cart and other assorted stuff on the other side of the garage, and keep an extra car out in the driveway. If you really need 2 cars and a golf cart, the golf cart garage is really the way to go, though.

[Joycer]

we have a Gardenia that has an oversized garage (4 ft. wider) We have plenty of room for one car, 2 carts (about the same length as our car when combined),and a lot of storage cabinents , woodworking equipment, etc.

[juneroses]

We also have a Gardenia and garage two cars. I park my Azera - roughly 16' long - on the angled wall side of the garage without a problem. There is sufficient room to get out of the car, walk between the car and the garage wall, walk around the front of the car (by the angled wall), and enter the house.

[kentuckyed]

I read some of the other replys and agree, the area with the angle would be a little tight but you should still be able to park two cars in the garage.
My wife and I had a new Gardenia built this year in The Village of Hemmingway and closed on it in June. We added the golf cart garage option (I think it was about an $8,000 option) which really adds a lot of space. In fact you could park two golf carts back to back if you wanted. I know The Villages are offering some nice discounts on their lots (Golf View and Close Out areas). I'm not sure if The Villages is still offering the option where you can pick out your lot, your style of house and options at today's prices and have up to six months before you have to have the house built. If you go the route of building your house, I would also add the extended 4 feet to the lanai, which really makes this a great area for entertaining.

[rshoffer]

We have a Camillia(same exact floorplan)... Our painful lesson learned: When you buy your home, if you must have 2 cars, definitely get a home with a golf cart garage.

[hoganth]

We are currently building a Gardenia in Bonita and had the garage extended by 2 foot which will allow more room for a larger vehicle.

[inda50]

We are currently living ina Gardenia and do find the garage tight. Given a choice I would get the garage streched. Carrying packages and shopping bags out of the car, is difficult with 2 cars in the garage. Hope this helps.

[glgene]

Many, many thanks to those who replied to my Gardenia-style home question. It has been very helpful. Yes, we prefer a 2-car garage with golf cart addition, but if we are looking for a resale and we find a Gardenia in a great location (short distance to Lake Smp. Square), if we had to forfeit the golf cart addition, we probably would. I'm going to start another msg., and ask how many people have 2 cars and a golf cart, 1 car and 1 golf cart, or 1 car and 2 golf carts.