As an 80s kid I grew up with Lego's, but I haven't done anything with them in years. Until I got the Corner Garage for my birthday! This is the first time I built a set of this size, and I really enjoyed the experience. Just seeing that huge pile of bags with bricks when you take them out of the box was so exciting, and made me want to get started immediately!

The big instruction manual was very clear. I preferred using it over the app version, since the images were too small on my phone. This set was divided into 6 steps and I spent about 2 hours on each step.

• steps 1-3: the street scene, garage and tow-truck
• step 4: second floor, the vet clinic
• steps 5-6: third floor apartment and rooftop

I loved putting together the user items, for example the tool cart, the toilet and the microscope. It's fun to see how you can make something that small, but recognisable with only a couple of parts. The decorative truck on the wall is one of my favourite details, made with just 9 pieces!

And I really enjoyed working on the technic parts of the build, like the rolling garage door and the tow-truck. I had a bunch of technic sets as a kid, so it was a nice surprise to work with some mechanisms in this set. The building exterior is decorative and uses many small elements.The text parts are clever and funny, and thankfully all the text is printed so no crooked stickers! I like how easy it is to take the floors apart and stack them back.

There were a few negatives that I noticed:

• The layout of the garage is a little odd, the cash register is actually too high for the minifig. The interior lacks some decor on the walls, like advertisement posters for cars, parts or gas.
• Unfortunately there was no car to put on the lift.
• The rooftop was very bare with just a sunbed and a flower box. A little bbq area or a lounge set would have been perfect here.
• It is difficult to look inside. Because there are only windows on the front, the interior is very dark.

All-in-all, I absolutely loved this build! And I will definitely purchase another modular house soon enough :-)

---Buying Context---

(Just a quick context of lego history, necessary for this set's review only because the excitement of it arriving may make me biased. It also spurred a second adult-age lego obsession, which speaks to the set's quality)

So I was super into legos as a kid but stopped for my teenage and adult years outside the occasional small architectural set.

Around mid 2019 I got into them again for about six months. I have no idea what spurred me to reacquaint myself with Lego. I was able to purchase a variety of sets from themes I enjoy, but after I had FINALLY obtained my three "holy grail" sets (UCS Slave 1, Tower or Orthanc and UCS Sandcrawler) all discontinued at the time, and then I stopped. The timing worked as I had filled every inch of our display space in the living room. My wife had no idea that I was a nerd, at least to this degree, but this really clued her in to the depths of my nerdy depravity. I certainly feel for her, we're in our 20s and she ended up with a less competent "model train type guy", but she's very kind and supportive despite the monopolizing of our living room for literal toys.

During this period I dabbled in various themes including the modular buildings. I first got the Downtown Diner and absolutely loved it. I purchased the Parisian Restaurant soon after and loved that also. Roughly around December 2019 (I was 26) I stopped my lego buying rampage, as I felt I had gotten what I wanted.

The other day, I ACCIDENTALLY ordered the Corner Garage on amazon. I was messing around with one of my cards I THOUGHT had no money on it thinking "Lemme test this card online since it declined at a store, may as well test it on something cool".

So when it arrived at my house I was surprised and then excited. I COULD have returned it, but who would expect smeagol to return the ring to the fires of Mt Doom? No chance. So I rushed to my command center (disorganized living room) to begin. I had seen some reviews for this set that seemed to imply people weren't quite as happy with it as the other modulars.

After building the set, I can say that I am not as happy as I was with the other modulars...I enjoyed it a notch MORE than the two I had previously! That's saying quite a bit. The design feels truly novel in terms of buildings, especially with regard to the exterior. There are also some areas with techniques I haven't seen anywhere else, prior or since, although this was only a week ago. The rolling garage door, the lift, the truck (And I'm not usually partial to vehicles) and the second floor vet all come to mind when I think of standout building techniques. The garage door particularly felt unique and I believe that anyone who buys this set will feel similarly.

The price to piece rating is also quite good, roughly 2500 pieces for $199.99 is a far superior brick/cost ratio than I see in a majority of sets I got in 2019 and see online currently. The modular buildings generally seem like they have a better value than other themes. Since then I got the Police Station (2900-3000 for the same price) which has an even better value, but the Garage's value is the first one to really surprise me like it did.

The vet's office was also a standout. We build an eclectic variety of rooms in these modular sets. They seem to run the gamut in terms of quotidian classifications. The vet is in contention for the most memorable modular floor level throughout the five modular buildings I have completed so far. I couldn't tell you exactly WHY it stood out, the most interesting techniques were relegated to the first floor and exterior, but it just did. The details, designs and the 45° angle wall all combine for a sum>parts.

The minifigures are whatever. I couldn't knock any points for that because the modular building minifigures seem ubiquitously average so far (I guess the diner was a notch above). In any popular IP themed sets, the minifigures are a major part of what I buy and why, but they're ancillary on the modular buildings (to me, at least). At least they have variations in the faces now...the parisian restaurant crowd are a bunch of off-putting creeps with those God forsaken smiles and endless staring. In the garage theres two mechanics, some girl with her bunny, the vet and then a strange adult man who loves...ahem..."trucks". Pretty standard obsession for a kid to have, although a bit strangely general. For an adult man it seems extremely odd...liking models or vehicles is pretty normal, but the mini-story that the set tells seems to imply he likes them in the way a child does. Whatever, I am a 27yo man who builds legos, so I am not really justified in judging the lego man. Sorry if I cyber-bullied him too hard.

The roof is also an interesting setup. It isn't something I'd rave about on its own and it is quite simple in its build, but it still offers an engaging look and display utility. The deadeyed truck man's apartment has one of those angled double doors (idk the term) that lead up to the roof where he has the classic suburban mom sunbathing setup, umbrella and fancy tanning lounge chair. Come to think of it, maybe I wasn't being judgy...this guy is an odd duck at the very least.

Overall the set really stood out, even after building the Diner and Parisian Restaurant, both of which I also loved. I only feel the need to write a review for this set because I wouldn't want anyone turned off by it's seemingly slighter lower review scores compared to most other modulars...maybe it isn't for everyone, but I'd encourage not dismissing it too soon. I'm not a car guy and I have no partiality to garages...I doubt anyone has strong opinions on that though...but despite the actual nature of the build being pretty unremarkable to me (which led me to dismiss it for a while) I was very pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the entire experience was. It's one of those sets that I would have a hard time articulating EXACTLY why I loved it so much, but it just worked. Oh, and it being s corner piece is also a bonus. I didn't realize how helpful and cool that was until after after the build and trying to fit it next to my diner and Parisian. It fits so well with everything and having a corner makes your modular collection feel so much more dense and city-like than a single horizontal row does.

If you're a little unsure because of the slightly lower review scores than its modular brethren, I would encourage you to keep an open mind. There is an intangible "it" factor that the set has, to me at least, that allowed it to spur on a second, potentially debilitating lego buying rampage. I think most people would see what I see in the Corner Garage!

Just got this from LEGO.com right as it came back into stock. It's still on there as far as I can tell so if you're reading this review soon after its writing I recommend heading to LEGO.com (US) and grabbing it before it goes back out of stock.

I have mostly corner modulars in my collection (I'm only missing Brick Bank) so I'm always interested in seeing how they are designed and I'm always impressed at the differences in approach to the corner walls. I was definitely impressed by this set which makes extensive use of the rounded 1x2 plate with open studs (surprisingly sturdy) to hinge walls into place.

The bottom floor is the garage naturally and due to the gas station drive way, about half of the plate is dedicated to the sidewalk which is a pleasant change of pace from previous corner sets. The interior of the garage is filled with many detail choices that are clever (the rolling door, the wall facing the gas pump) ...interesting (the space directly behind the cash register is partially obstructed by the tire window display, the bottom of the steps to go upstairs are a little wonky) and functional (the lift--see below). Honestly, I thought the slanted wall was going to be extremely flimsy during the entire build and I was waiting for it all to snap into place which it did after some mild suspense. It holds together quite well despite really only being held in by a few pieces. The exterior is also nicely detailed with the safety poles on the sides of the garage, the windshield scraper in the water bucket, and the various tires on the wall. The gas pump looks elegant and the Octan logo was a nice reference to the City sets I used to play with as a kid (I also remember some sets that had the Shell logo). It's a little curious that the pump faces the street despite the driveway presumably being for gas customers. The awning that covers the driveway is an interesting build; much like the slanted wall it's pretty fragile right up until the last few steps. Getting the base of the gas pump to snap into the 2x2 plate with large hole took some doing without feeling like I was going to break something but once it gets in there it's not going anywhere--it feels much stronger than the old school turntables from Cafe Corner and the tower on Palace Cinema.

There's some significant play functions in the garage compared to previous modulars. Unlike Downtown Diner where the car is built last (or first, like in Palace Cinema) the tow truck is built after the completion of the first floor. It's definitely a highlight of the build; watching it come together is great and at first glance the technic pieces for the crane seem complicated to anyone unfamiliar with building technic stuff but it's pretty straightforward. I tried placing the cars from previous modulars on the lift as well as the tow truck and they sit somewhat lopsided on it--the part touching the wall holds up better than the far side. The function to move the lift is also not the smoothest and if it's feeling stuck it takes some minor finesse to get it working. A similar sticking issue happens with the rolling door (the design of which is incredible) albeit in a much lower capacity that's hardly noticeable. The door works great with cars in the garage except the towtruck which necessitates some fiddling with the crane to fit inside properly with the door down. The sheer presence of these functions in the set compensates for their shortcomings in my opinion and I'm sure more adventurous builders than me could correct the problems with the lift. I've tried using the crane for the towtruck on both the pink Cadillac from Downtown Diner and the Buick from Palace Cinema in multiple ways and it works great any way you choose--either clipping one side of the chain to the stud on the crane hook and the other chain stud under the car, or both chain studs under the car and hooking the chain onto the crane--and holds up when towing across distances.

The second floor is the vet, which features not one but two angled walls utilizing the 1x2 rounded plate. Like any slanted wall in the set it's flimsy during much of the build but comes together at the end. The bay window in the vets actual office is cleverly designed using some SNOT techniques that reminded me of the HOTEL sign in Cafe Corner and parts of the windows on Downtown Diner. It doesn't leave any awkward gaps or anything and looks awesome once its completed. The interior details are great--my favorite is the aquarium (this set has a lot of pets). The desk is appropriately messy and has a cool looking but fragile lamp on it. The frog pen and microscope are fun mini builds. I think the detail on this floor exceeds the detail in the garage downstairs and offers some pretty good playability if that's your thing.

The next level is very similar in structure but has some ornate tiling below the windows that was more limited on the level below. I'm a fan of these particular parts of the build because it really gives me time to slow down and enjoy the build by focusing on the particulars of the tiling. I like placing them so they look perfectly aligned which often takes up a good chunk of time. The interior of the apartment is great. I love the TV (the first in the modulars if I'm not mistaken) even if it's not entirely realistic for the era. The bed is cool (the blue/teal pillow is fun detail) and the kitchen has some actual utensils. The bathroom is just a water closet in the corner; I personally can take or leave the minifig bathrooms especially since they're not particularly realistic in my opinion (no sink or even TP) but they're good for a laugh. Overall I think this apartment is an improvement over the AFOL apartment in Assembly Square (which inexplicably had a larger bathroom), a large part of which has to do with the bigger space and lack of microscale LEGO sets. I know apartments in modulars are somewhat controversial but I enjoy them and this one in particular. The lack of walls between the stairs and the rooms on each level is a point of contention for some with this set but it's not out of the ordinary for modulars going all the way back to Cafe Corner (the upper floors were supposed to be a hotel with no lobby or doors) and would only make the interiors feel more cramped--which they don't feel in this set. Despite the fact that the building utilizes less space on the baseplate than previous corner sets, each floor feels pretty spacious, especially the apartment.

The roof has some fun detailing along the edges and building the little hatch for roof access was fun for me. There's a lounge chair, flower bed and umbrella that offer some nice detail and one of the few acknowledgements that minifigs are making the most of their roof access in the modular series. They are small enough details to not feel like they are overwhelming the roof. I would love to see more small things like this on modular rooftops because roof access seems a little pointless without them.

The minifigs are great. I especially enjoy the fact that there are two people staffed at the mechanic shop. Most modulars only seem to have one minifig working at any given place of business and having two minifigs allows for more versatility, especially with the towtruck. The moped minifig is too cool for school (never takes her sunglasses off; probably could've used a dual sided head) and has a somewhat anachronistic appearance but so do the gym folks in Downtown Diner so it's a minor quibble. Not sure where the little girl's parents are--there's not really anywhere for her to sleep if the guy upstairs is her dad--but I don't have many modulars with children minifigs so the few I do have will get a new friend (and bunny) to play with. I like the sweater minifig's hair and the sweater torso seems relatively new and a little unexpected in a good way. Plus there's pets! A dog, bunny, bird, frog, and fish. For anyone like me who doesn't own Pet Shop (at the moment) this is definitely a plus.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by it but it's still a very nice modular. The architecture follows Downtown Diner into the 50s yet it still looks good next to the older architectural style of previous modulars as well as it does next to the diner. The building techniques are interesting and clever but not flashy. The towtruck and pets are definitely a welcome addition. The rolling door is super fun (as far as I can tell Fire Brigade did not have a rolling door feature but I could be wrong) and allows for more playability. I don't think the garage would work nearly as well if this weren't a corner building. Without any particularly mindblowing moves (the garage door is the most impressive thing, with the towtruck crane a close second) this set doesn't entirely stack up to the truly great modulars like Grand Emporium or Assembly Square but it's by no means a bad set at all. The price is a little high in my opinion, especially considering how much smaller the building is compared to other corner sets but it has quite a few small pieces which might account for the pricetag.

If you're a diehard completist modular fan I'd recommend if you don't already have it. If you like fun lowkey but long winded builds I'd recommend. If you're a Creator Expert fan I'd recommend. I'd say this set is definitely one of the most kid friendly modulars, though depending on age they may need help with one or two sections.

This set get's a terrible rap. People go as far as to despise this addition to the Modular Building line. When I was lucky enough to get it near-release back in January, I say with no doubt I had one of the best experiences building and creating this set.

I absolutely loved building this set. I found it different than other Modular Buildings in terms of its building aspect. It was actually very interesting to see how this new addition's style forms into what it is. One thing that it, for sure, nails down is its 45-degree angles.

These angles are one of the many things that make this set what it is. The pure appearance of the set is based solely on the concrete structure of the angles. And the building process for those angles also makes what this set is; introducing new techniques and revolutionary pieces.

The new architectural design of this monstrosity is also contributing to its amazement, at least in my eyes. Cutting down the front half of the corner of the building - something never done before - makes great use of appealing visuals and, surprisingly, a lot of room for the interior. The set's platform (where people get gas and enter into the intersecting road) also ended up better than anticipated.

The interiors of this set are also eye dropping. The first level has simple but great play-features. Of course, I'm talking about the car lift. There's also a surprisingly nice compact interior for the Corner Garage shop. There's also an extremely small part of the set I love; a small cart hidden under the stairs of the shop!

The 2nd level, "Dr. Jones Animal Clinic; No Snakes!" also is a whirl to take in. This vet's office is absolutely everything you need. Even with the size drop-off from the front, this compact area is pure perfection, possibly the best part of the set! It includes an extremely detailed vet's office with multiple work areas and a cozy waiting room! What more to ask!

The 3rd level is a cozy compact area that is probably ripped straight off the 1950s. Old TVs, small kitchen, everything you need! It also includes a roof-access with a simple yet shiny roof with a bit of fertilization and relaxation.

Overall, this set is amazement at first sight. Don't hesitate, this is a great set for all of it. Apart from money, which, as a KFOL, I probably have no comprehension of. Anyways, enjoy an auto-repair and get on building!

The Corner Garage has landed as one of the more controversial entries in the Creator Expert Modular Building line. Which is a shame. It is a superb amd distinct building for your Modular City. But it does have a few flaws, and a few viewing concerns that its brethren don't really have.

Box = It's a standard Creator Expert Modular Building box . If you have seen one you know what you are getting here. The only thing outside the norm is the box front picture is not the most flattering for the building within. This is our first glimpse at one of the buildings biggest "flaws". Do to the buildings unusual geometry, the viewing angle from which you look at it can make a huge difference in your perception. It is a tall narrow building cutting diagonally across the build plate. The instructions are a thick bound book.

Minifigs - Much like the Downtown Diner the set includes 6 of the newer more expressive "CMF style" minifigs as opposed to the classic smiley faces. Some hate them. Personally I love them.

We have a Male and Female mechanic for the ground floor garage. She includes the nice ballcap with ponytail.

Also on the First floor is a short haired leather jacketed woman with a Vespa scooter. Which she is filling with gas. This is sadly our "break down" vehicle for the set.

The second floor is the office of Dr Jones Veterinarian. For it we have the Good doctor with a white jacketed stethescope equipped torso, and a little pink clad girl. There are also several animals to populate the Vet clinic. A standard German Shepard, A bunny, a Frog, A Parrot and a fish in a fish tank

The third floor is a small studio apartment with kitchenette occupied by a youngish hipster male. he wears a nice knit sweater that we last saw in the Old Fishing Shack,

Basically a nice set of City people. They all have job appropriate expressions. The mechanics have some smudged faces.

Parts - Like all Modular Buildings this set is a parts bonanza. The high points are the shear volume of Dark Orange 1xX bricks used in this set. We have not seen that much of this color since the Town Hall. The door and window frames in Dark Green and Sand Blue are also great. It has a healthy ton of new parts. Lots of those new dual sloped cheese wedges. Lots of the new 1x2 rounded plates for angled connections and they are used masterfully here. Lots of the newer SNOT parts. There are also some unique printed parts. There are no stickers in this set. It's all prints

Build/Model - The Build is superb. The ground floor is very distinct from those above it. It sports the classic Octan colors as its trim. The service garage has an ingenious mechanism for a roll up door. Such that you can get in and work inside the building, with the door up. The awning and gas pump island are a fun build and the included period tow truck is the best vehicle to be added to a Modular set yet. One major departure from previous models is the interior is untiled on this one. The full exterior of the driveways and sidewalk is tiled, but indoor is left studded. Besides the door there is a second function of a simple vehicle lift activated by pushing in the trash dumpster at the back of the building. It's crude but works.

The Second floor is the Vets office. and it is here that you find the most detail. With the area split betweek a nicely appointed waiting area and the exam room and opertory. It has lots of little sub builds of equipment and tables making it the densest and most detailed part of the building.

The third floor is the 1 room studio apartment. Unusually shaped as basically two interlocked triangles. The main area has a nice couch and old school rabit ears tv. there is a small kitchenette to the rear. In from is a small sleeping area with a single cot like bed. And amazingly your Lego Modular City finally has a toilet. Granted he has to bathe in the kitchen sink...

The roof is accessed via a hatch. It has a lounge chair and an unbrella. It feels a little sparse. It needed some more detail. Maybe some potted plants or some HVAC units?

Overall Impressions - The Corner Garage is a mixed bag. It is still one of the best Lego sets you will ever get your hands on, like all the Modular sets. There are no duds. But this one is a bit middle of the pack as far as recent ones go. So in an effort to give positive critical feedback, here is the good and the needs improvement

Good - The shear size. This building is second only to Town Hall in size and volume.

-That gorgeous Industrial Era design, with simple sleek brickwork and the big multipaned windows.

- The Islant build and the roll up door and delightful builds that really teach.

Not Quite as Good, Maybe do Better -

- The set has some odd viewing angles. Due to it cutting diagonally across the baseplate when viewed from the trailing edges the building looks really narrow and unimpressive. When viewed from to high an angle the awning obscures the nice color work on the octan station. Its best viewed on a shelf at near head height. And it is best placed so the viewer is seeing it square. It works best on the leading edge of a shelf display.

The garage area is surprisingly empty. There is NOTHING on the walls. No calenders. No tools. Just one little tool chest. It's too clean. It needs some automotive pictures and sexy tire calenders to give it ambience. You can easily ad some by stripping accessories out of speed champions sets.

- The Vets office is almost perfect. Although the Dr. Jones, No Snakes sign should be in another window and not above and behind the awning and gas sign.

- It needed a Car. A second vehicle. Something with exposed and removable engine. Some nice period car that would need to be towed in. Say an AMC Pacer? If not in the main set, then as a bonus gift/purchase at the Lego store, the way the Flower Cart was a bonus meant for the Detective Office.

- This one is a bit story light. But it's okay it has a lot to do.

Overall it is a great Modular Building set. If you collect buildings you will regret not grabbing this one. It has some new and highly unusual build techniques to achieve those clean angled walls, While not the best of the Modulars I would still count it as a must have.