Jim Bacon, owner of Bacon Self Storage in St. Augustine, Fla., is seeking zoning approval to build a hotel in the wooded area behind his recently opened facility. Plans for Air Tree Inn at 1700 Wildwood Drive include 30 treehouse units connected by an elevated boardwalk. The project would also contain a pool, plus a 5,700-square-foot bar and restaurant that would be open to the public. The rooms would cost $180 per night, with a three-night minimum, according to the source.

Bacon, 55, who opened his storage facility last summer, said he was inspired by the Treehouse Villas at Walt Disney World’s Saratoga Springs Resort. Each of his treehouses would contain a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and living space, plus a wraparound porch and hot tub.

Because Moultrie Creek flows through the 9.7-acre parcel property, the treehouses and boardwalk would be built on pilings to reduce the impact on the wetlands, according to the developer’s application with the St. Johns County Growth Management Department. The project would be constructed in phases, with rooms opening as they’re complete.

Bacon also owns Bacon Marine Construction LLC, which builds boathouses, boat lifts, bulkheads, docks and seawalls. He’s assisted in the construction of self-storage facilities in Northeast Florida, as well as pedestrian paths, bike paths and bridges in Michigan.

Bacon Self Storage offers climate-controlled and drive-up units, vehicle-storage spaces, and parking spaces that can be rented for the day. Customer amenities include 24-hour access, a dump station and valet services.

Sources:
Jacksonville Daily Record, Treehouse Hotel Project Planned for St. Augustine