Sitting in the beautiful vast, open landscape of Erin, WI is Lucky Hills Storage. Neighboring the site is the township’s office along with the community park and recreational area. The community was reluctant to approve of this project, which resulted in many negotiations over the course of nine meetings. Most of these were concerning the facility’s location, visual appeal of the site, and security.
This site was constructed in two phases during an 18-month period. The town required all exterior buildings and landscaping to be completed within the first phase. To comply with the aesthetic that the township desired, the eight self-storage buildings were built with a 3:12 high pitch roof that is accented with soffits and decorative cupolas, creating a show piece for the town. To avoid drawing too much attention with bright colors, the buildings are slate gray with roofs and doors in a striking matte black. There’s 25’ paths between buildings and driveways of 32’ on the ends of the buildings.
The township would not allow any doors to face the main access street or park. These exterior walls were designed with two different, unique architectural features. The bottom of the wall features a 3’ tall faux brick (nichiha panel) that was augmented by Trachte’s standard exterior wall panel.
Security was a main concern of the town, leading to the requirement of a controlled access gate and installation of over 20 cameras within the site. These additions enhanced safety and provided verification that any unwanted activity would not occur on-site. For the site to blend into the country setting, landscaping was strategically planned. The site is surrounded by over 60 trees and shrubs, as well as ornamental black fencing that wraps around the entire facility and retention pond.
The owner had to comply with another item regulated by the town known as the “Dark Skies” ordinance, which states that all internal lights within the facility must remain off if no one is present. The town was worried about the site’s lights causing a distraction to nighttime park visitors.
Lucky Hills Storage is accessible 24/7 with a kiosk and call center, offering tenants flexibility. Almost all the renting and collections are conducted online as the site is remotely managed. The owner faced many challenges and overcame many hurdles during this building process, but ultimately created a successful project and business that everyone in the community can be proud of.
