U-Haul Brings Adaptive Reuse Storage to Alton, IL

By Evelyn Jozsa

2851 Homer M Adams Parkway, Alton, Ill.

U-Haul is set to acquire and repurpose a former Kmart store in Alton, Ill. The company, which has been leasing the property since May, will complete the transaction in August. According to the plans, the 84,180-square-foot building will be transformed into a self-storage facility. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Alton currently operates from a temporary showroom and offers a full line of moving supplies.

Positioned at 2851 Homer M Adams Parkway, the property is near Freeway 3, approximately 30 miles from downtown St. Louis. Around 63,000 people live within a five-mile radius, with an average income of roughly $44,000. The adaptive reuse development, situated on 27.8 acres, will comprise 700 storage units featuring climate-controlled spaces with high-tech security at an affordable price. Additional features of the property include truck and trailer sharing, towing equipment, propane, U-Box portable moving, storage containers and hitch installation.

“The Kmart portion of this property, where U-Haul will be operating, was vacant for about eight months,” said Mike White, president of U-Haul Company of Missouri Northeast, in a prepared statement. “No one was serious about occupying this building and the community was beginning to worry it would suffer the same fate as other large box stores. We didn’t want to see this building go dark and fall into disrepair. Our adaptive reuse of this site will benefit U-Haul, the environment and the community.”

Earlier this year, the company opened 372 indoor, climate-controlled units in Waco, Texas. 

Image courtesy of U-Haul