You probably don\u2019t expect to stash your holiday decorations in a former armory. Or tuck away old photo albums where moviegoers once lined up for popcorn. But across the country, some of the most unexpected buildings are getting a second act \u2014 as self storage facilities.<\/p>\n
Adaptive reuse has become one of real estate\u2019s unexpected success stories, with roughly 179 million square feet \u2014 about 10% of the nation\u2019s storage inventory coming from converted spaces<\/a>. In cities where land is tight and zoning can stall new construction, developers are turning to what\u2019s already standing. Industrial and office spaces are the usual suspects. But every now and then, a building with a far more colorful past trades its original purpose for rows of roll-up doors.<\/p>\n At StorageCafe, we asked our team to rank the most eye-catching self storage conversions based on their previous lives. From institutions built to hold movie screenings to venues once filled with cheers, these buildings prove that reinvention can be both practical and a little surreal.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at the most interesting former uses behind today\u2019s storage spaces.<\/p>\n Built:<\/strong>\u00a01975 |\u00a0Converted:<\/strong>\u00a02023<\/p>\n<\/span>1. County jail (Indianapolis, IN)<\/span><\/h2>\n
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