Repurposing historic buildings can help enhance any community's economy. Discover how this Coca-Cola Plant turned into storage in Columbia.Repurposing historic buildings can help enhance any community's economy. Discover how this Coca-Cola Plant turned into storage in Columbia.Local Guide

Did You Know Our Columbia Facility Was an Old Coca Cola Plant?

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Storage Rentals of America is a company dedicated to helping spur community growth and development. With thousands of abandoned buildings across the country, one of the best ways to enhance any community is by restoring these historic sites and making them useful again, without losing that historic charm. Unsightly, abandoned buildings can really bring a community down. They are not just ugly, but they attract vandalism, squatters, and other unsavory practices that communities would rather not have in their backyard.

This is exactly why the Columbia branch of Storage Rentals of America is taking a great interest in restoring historic buildings into modern storage units, while maintaining the charm of the original building.

Turning the Old Into New

For more than 40 years, the most popular beverage in the world was processed and delivered to restaurants and stores from one of the most conspicuous landmarks in all of Cottontown. Found on a tract of five acres in the northern most portion of the neighborhood, the former plant, which ran from the years of 1952 to 1992, buffered the community from additional intrusion from commercial companies, helping to ensure residential vitality.

There are several people still living in the Columbia community who remember when the plant was operational, and who are thankful the building is no longer empty and abandoned. Today, this former bottling facility has been completely repurposed, similar to a number of the area's other, older commercial structures.

Out with the Old in with the New

The Historical Society of Columbia, which documents the repurposing of most of the older buildings in the area, is dedicated to ensuring the historic value and presence of the buildings are maintained. While this is true, the individuals of this organization also understand the importance of having a modern facility that can meet the needs of modern consumers.

While from the outside, the new storage location appears similar to the former bottling plan, save a few color changes, the inside has been renovated to reflect the needs of anyone searching for storage. Providing clean and climate-controlled storage areas for the community is the top goal of Storage Rentals of America, which took the time to make an investment in this structure.

The Rich History of Columbia

Columbia was established by the General Assembly in 1786, however people had been living in this area for more than 100 years prior to this. The rich history of this area has made this particular city a popular destination for history buffs looking for new and exciting places to explore and learn about.

Unfortunately, many of these historic buildings are now going to waste. Just taking a walk or ride around town, it is clear to see where the holes are. There are countless vacant lots at important intersections, unused strip malls, historic buildings that remain empty, and even an entire abandoned baseball stadium.

Part of this issue is attributed to the way that modern cities are developing, especially in the southern part of the U.S., which is a car-centric zone that's constantly sub-urbanizing. This is the reverse of using in-fill development to reuse what is already there. Another issue is that it's complicated and expensive to renovate and repurposed historic properties.

However, while all this is true, there are some businesses, companies, and organizations that still see the value offered by utilizing these empty historic spaces, including Storage Rentals of America.

Rebuilding by Reusing

Today, more and more companies are beginning to take a cue from this company and look into the restoration and refurbishment of old, historic sites, for new, modern businesses. As the trend grows, more of the vacant lots, empty buildings, and abandoned spaces are going to be replaced with businesses and structures that benefit the community as a whole, helping to grow revenue, beauty, and the overall economy of the area.

The old Coca Cola plant won't ever be forgotten. After all, for four decades it was a staple of this community and a main provider of jobs and livelihood for those who lived nearby. However, there's no reason for the building to go unused. It has a rich history, and now, thanks to the team at Storage Rentals of America, the building has maintained its rich history.

If you are looking for quality, modern storage solutions, be sure to check out our Columbia location. It offers state-of-the-art storage spaces, along with a splash of history - which anyone, even those new to the area, are definitely going to appreciate.


We're Your Storage Solution!

Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or give our storage experts a call at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.

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