Former Dry-Cleaning Business to Be Converted to Self-Storage in Oxford, OH

The Pulley Family recently received permission from the city council to convert its former dry-cleaning business in Oxford, Ohio, into a climate-controlled self-storage facility and business incubator that provides space for startup companies. Development of the property at 801 S. Beech St. is expected to begin within a year, pending additional permit approvals, according to Scott Webb, the architect in charge of the project.

The Pulleys decided to transform the 2-acre property to self-storage after seeing conversions of other big-box stores, such as Toys “R” Us, Webb told the source. The project will include rows of freestanding storage buildings around the site, which includes an existing 32,650 square feet of storage and office space. The plans for the incubator are in the early stages.

“The Pulley Family still keeps an office there, and they could keep copy machines and a storage locker that could support small businesses,” Webb said.

The former processing plant for Capitol Dry Cleaners was closed after the Pulleys moved the cleaning equipment to individual stores, the source reported. The family performed a voluntary cleanup of the site about 15 years ago, Webb said. While the property has been mostly vacant since the plant’s closing, it has housed some smaller businesses over the years.

The land was previously zoned for general business but was approved for a conditional-use permit by the city council. An Environmental Protection Agency agreement from the cleanup stipulated it could never be used for residential purposes, the source reported.

The Pulley Family hopes to “dress up the neighborhood,” Webb said. The project could become a community corner celebrating the city’s history, said Jeff Pulley. It would be similar to “Slant Walk: A Historical Path,” a well-known trail that runs through the Miami University campus in Oxford.

Councilman Richard Keebler called the development a “good re-use” for the area. “It’ll be quiet, there won’t be much traffic … It’s certainly more attractive than what’s there now,” he said.