Chippewa Falls City Council clears way for U-Haul center

 The plans for the former Kmart building in Chippewa Falls to become a U-Haul retail store and indoor storage unit center took a big step forward.

The City Council unanimously approved the Plan Commission’s recommendation to amend the city’s general code to allow indoor storage centers in “highway commercial” and “general commercial” districts. The commission had unanimously recommended the change July 10.

U-Haul is planning to acquire the former Kmart building in the south side Chippewa Commons strip mall and convert it into a retail store and indoor, climate-controlled storage unit center. The renovation costs for the 86,000-square-foot building are estimated at $3 million, Mayor Greg Hoffman said.

No one from Kmart or U-Haul attended the meeting.

The city’s ordinance on general commercial districts will be altered to allow a “self-service storage facility consisting of a building with all units contained within that building, and all units having an access door from an interior hallway.” The building will have “a separate, secure, 24-hour access entrance to interior units. Operations shall include a retail storefront of related commercial activity.”

Hoffman said the retail store will allow customers to rent trailers and trucks and buy packing equipment. The main part of the building will be converted to house perhaps 600 to 800 indoor storage units.

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