These doomsday shelters for the 1% make up the largest private bunker community on Earth
"This is the place you will want to be when the SHTF," or s--t hits the fan, according to a release from Vivos Group. No one calls xPoint home just yet.
The property contains 575 bunkers made of hardened concrete and steel.
Located in South Dakota, the structures were originally built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1942 as a military fortress that stored explosives and munitions.
The bunkers were built to withstand a 500,000-pound blast from explosives within.
Since 1967, when the base was retired, the bunkers have been gutted. Vivos acquired the property in 2016 and repurposed it as the "ultimate shelter community."
Shelters range in size from about 26 feet in width and 60 feet or 80 feet in length. There's room for over a year's worth of supplies, according to Vivos.
Buyers accept their bunker "as is," without plumbing, electricity, or air filtration. They can hire a contractor or use Vivos' services to outfit their doomsday den.
Vivos can pitch in as little or as much as the tenants like.
The company estimates the cost of retrofitting each shelter — complete with a blast door seal and interior lock, an escape hatch, exhaust and air vents, a propane generator, a fuel tank, electrical wiring, plumbing, a hot water heater, and a septic system — is roughly $12,000.
More "optional" construction, such as building walls, flooring, and energy storage, could run up an additional $20,300. For a full estimate of the costs, click here.
They fit 10 comfortably, though some buyers may opt to turn their bunker into a deluxe suite for immediate family only. This rendering shows how LED screens might replace windows.
In this rendering, we see a three-bedroom home complete with a kitchen, living room, storage closet, and home theater. The blast door is not large enough for a garage.
There will be some amenities, including a full-time staff who will provide security, maintenance, and other support. Vivos also intends to install a general store.
Vivos hopes to complete construction on the general store and offices and living quarters for staff by fall 2017.
Vivos also plans to transform one bunker into a dedicated school and training space by next fall. The company will not provide the education, but rather, create space for it.
A 99-year lease on a bunker costs $1,000 a year, plus a $25,000 deposit paid up-front. Vivos expects the renovation costs, including furnishings, will be many times that.
Vivos is currently taking reservations to lease a bunker and plans to host tours once the snow melts in March 2017. The first tenants could move in as early as next summer.
The application process entails a tour, a background check, and a $5,000 fully refundable fee.
For some, you can't put a price on peace of mind.
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