Farmington Hills storage company creates four jobs, renovates former GR school

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

On August 12, Farmington Hills-based Pogoda Companies, Michigan’s largest self-storage operator, celebrated the grand opening of its second Grand Rapids area facility. The opening of the National Storage Center of Grand Rapids is a former technical high school at 1263 Ball Ave. NE. The grand opening marks the completion of phase one renovations.

The project generated four jobs, including two management positions. Developer Maurice Pogoda says that after a soft launch in June, 25 percent of the 400 storage units are occupied, 15 percent over the company’s projections.

“We look for retail settings in neighborhoods so tenants can reach us very easily,” Pogoda says. “We just try to make sure that when we build our properties the customer has every option possible, whether it’s a climate controlled unit, a small space or a large outdoor space.”

Phase two of the project will develop another 54,000 square feet of the facility and could add two more jobs.

Source: Maurice Pogoda, Pogoda Companies

Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.