The former owner of the 2-acre abandoned armory and bus company site had retired and moved out of Wisconsin, and was concerned because the serious environmental conditions present were not allowing him to sell the property. Drake was managing the remediation project and was approached to assist with finding a buyer.

The owner established a sale price, and Caleb purchased the property “as is” in 1998. Drake continued providing the remediation and long-term monitoring services. Closure was obtained from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which allowed Caleb to secure financing to redevelop the property.

Caleb created a plan to convert the property into a self-storage facility. Two phases and a portion of a third phase of development have already been completed, resulting in a total of 178 climate and non-climated controlled units, plus an additional 6 outdoor parking spaces.

Negotiations are also underway to expand the facility further, encompassing the abandoned manufacturing facility adjacent to King Storage. If successful, the facility could potentially contain over 400 units. Once the expansion is realized, the properties and business is projected to be increased in value from $175,000 to approximately $3.8 million.