The World’s Most Luxurious “Survival Condo” is Built Inside a Nuclear Missile Silo
OutdoorHub Reporters 11.19.14
Described as one of the most luxurious “survival shelters” anywhere in the world, one man’s dream has turned an old Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile silo into a condo complex for the super-wealthy. Located somewhere in Kansas, the recently completed Survival Condo 1 was built inside of an underground missile silo and is designed to withstand any number of disaster scenarios.
With walls up to nine feet thick and protected by a monolithic dome cap, the condo structure is expected to be able to survive a direct nuclear strike on its location. It also features a number of electrical power sources, a backup water supply, a complex air filtration system, hydroponic and aquaculture facilities capable of food production, a clinic, a weather station, “military grade security,” and its own wind turbine. The complex is so self-sufficient that its builders say that it can house 70 people for more than five years without ever having to step outside of the structure.
The price tag? About three million bucks for a full-floor unit and half that for a half-floor unit.
“The same quality of condo in New York would have cost me the same, if not more per square foot, and you get peace of mind with this,” boasted one of the anonymous owners.
The project was spearheaded by engineer and software developer Larry Hall, who said that his vision was to build one of the strongest and most self-sustainable manmade structures ever built. Whether it is disease, war, nuclear devastation, or even natural disasters, the survival condo is designed to be impenetrable.
“We are not looking for stereotypical ‘survival nuts’ portrayed in movies, but rather like-minded individuals with the desire to provide care and protection for their family,” states Luxury Survival Condo on its website. “We seek people with the financial resources, interest, education, experience, and desire to participate in the shared tasks of survival under difficult circumstances.”
Survival apparently does not have to be boring. The Survival Condo comes with a host of amenities, including a built-in rock wall, movie theater, dog park, gym, lounge, general store, and yes, even its own indoor shooting range.
You can see a video tour of the condo complex below:
OutdoorHub managed to contact Hall, who said he is moving forward with Survival Condo 2 after the completion of the first facility.
“The initial complex was completed in December 2012 but we had a long list of upgrades that took more than a year to complete,” Hall wrote in an email. “Owners have been moving their personal items here since January 2013. This is a second home to the owners, it is not their primary residence.”
As many as 12 families can reside in the facility, but Hall said that so far, none of his clients will be living in the silo year-round. In fact, only one owner has indicated that they will be staying for half the year. The other tenants view the Survival Condo as “just” an emergency shelter, albeit one that is very well-equipped.
Getting in is not easy, however, and it takes much than just a beefy bank account to land one of these condos.
“All [prospective] buyers must demonstrate the financial liquidity to purchase the unit they are interested in,” Hall wrote. “All buyers also must pass a background investigation and sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. We do not allow anyone with any crimes against children or anyone who has a violent criminal record. There are also some medical conditions that could exclude people.”
There is a strong focus on community, or as Hall and his cohorts call it, an “extended family.” After all, when the unthinkable happens and the facility ends up being used for its primary function—survival—individual owners will find that they need to work together. Everybody will share the responsibility for security, operation, and maintenance of their new home.
But what kind of security systems does the silo have? Hall is reluctant to specify any details, but the Survival Condo can easily double as a fort.
“The details are confidential but in general terms we have both lethal and non-lethal weapons,” Hall shared. “There are a lot of cameras, motion sensors, etc. Owners can bring in their own weapons but they must be registered and the owner must demonstrate the ability to safely handle the weapons.”
“We have spent years researching the concept of extended ‘off-grid’ living and we have come up with an excellent solution,” stated the company. “Our solution is built around utilizing a unique facility as a starting point that will provide a level of protection and a quality of life that would be considered financially impossible if this facility had to be created from scratch.”
So how much did building the facility inside of a missile silo cost? Hall estimates that it cost the US government $15 million to build the concrete structure back in 1960—$120 million in today’s terms. In that frame of reference, paying $3 million for a unit may even be called a steal.
What do you think? If you had the money, would you buy some peace of mind at the Survival Condo?
