2 Self-Storage Projects Under Development in Lenoir City, TN

Two self-storage projects are under development along U.S. Highway 321 in Lenoir City, Tenn. One is a conversion of a former boat dealership, while the other is a newly built site.

Volunteer Storage, which operates six properties in East Tennessee, is converting the Great Wakes boat dealership at 1272 Highway 321 N. into a storage facility containing 3,200 square feet of interior vehicle storage as well as 80 interior climate-controlled units and more than 100 outdoor vehicle-parking spaces, according to the source. The property, which is nearing completion, will be open 24 hours a day and include a wash bay and security cameras.

The conversion included tearing out 9,000 square feet of finished space in the existing building and transforming the kitchen and office areas to storage units. The property’s firewalls remained intact, the source reported.

The facility will also serve residents from Farragut and West Knoxville, Tenn., said Buddy Brackfield of Brackfield & Associates, which owns the Volunteer Storage brand. “Obviously, the growth for Lenoir City is northbound,” he added. “And we’re on the northbound side of [Interstate 40]. We’ve got easy access across [Highway] 321, and so it makes good sense where we are for this location.”

The ground-up facility, Secure Pack Storage at 1325 Highway 321, is slated to open in April. Owned by Mark and Shirley Vaughan, the property will comprise 350 storage units, with more than half being climate-controlled, as well as 40 vehicle-parking spaces. The site will also contain a conference room and a retail store that sells moving and packing supplies.

One of the Vaughans’ goals for the facility is to appeal to female customers. The property will feature “upbeat” music, wrought-iron fencing and video cameras, Shirley Vaughan said.

Although the Loudon County Planning, Zoning and Development Commission questioned whether it was a good idea to have two similar facilities in proximity, both owners said the sites will complement one another. “I said, ‘McDonald’s and Wendy’s, aren’t they side-by-side? And CVS and Walgreens [are] side-by-side? So, I don’t see that as an issue,’” Brackfield said.