COLD STORAGE

This is no snow job.

 
Part-time Jupiter resident Joe Charles is planning a 45,000-square-foot, climate-controlled boat storage facility west of Stuart that will be primarily marketed to seasonal residents. 
"It's snowbird boat storage," said Charles, who is the founder and chief executive officer of Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Charles Industries Ltd., a manufacturer of telephone equipment. "Boating is a pleasure and you shouldn't have to worry about where you store your boat in the summer. This is hassle-free storage."

Charles got the idea for River Forest Yachting Center -- to be located on the nine-acre Foster Dredge property on Pennsylvania Avenue -- after encountering problems storing his own boat when he was ready to head back north. The cost of storage depends on the size of boat, but Charles said the price will likely range from $800 to $1,500 per month with a minimum rental of five months. 

With zoning approval already in hand, Charles hopes to have the facility open by late spring 2005.