What should I put in this hole?

[Handy Kevin]

This is from a custom oak staircase in a house we have an offer in to purchase. The staircase is completely finished except for this hole that was deliberately left open. Inside the hole is raw stud framing for the staircase, not finished in any way. No electrical or gas line ran to the location either. It measures roughly 29.5" wide by 42.25" high. The house is a bank owned foreclosure so it is impossible to ask the previous owner what was intended for this location. Also, it faces the entryway/foyer and not the living space.

What can I do with this hole/space? I was thinking possibly a door of some type over it to make it a storage area, or fashioning some type of custom built in bookcase. Both ideas feel like band-aid solutions and dont really seem to me like that is what was really intended for the space. I was hoping to get some better ideas of what could be done with this hole?

Note, I have not made 15 posts yet, so I cannot directly link to the pic, so please take a minute and put this address in your browser so you can see what I am talking about. Thanks! i31.tinypic.com/242tp9c.jpg

Thanks in advance!
Kevin

[Don_P]

It looks ike it was intended to be an understair storage area. Matching oak raised panel doors would work. A local cabinet shop could probably do it. The building inspector may know who did the stairs or have a set of plans on file.

[Handy Kevin]

Well, I was hoping for an idea I had not thought of yet, but thanks for the confirmation on the storage idea. Just seems like they would have done that already if that was the intention since the rest of the staircase is complete. Seems like they were thinking of putting something else in there to me.

[nailpuller]

put a under cab light in a oak shelf unit watch out about a door if it openin the stairway then it is not allowed by code.
building dept will have a set of planes to look at