A growing number of municipalities are recognizing the value of using portable storage buildings and other outdoor structures like garages and carports to meet their needs. Not only is this a cost-effective solution, but these structures are also versatile enough to be used for a wide variety of purposes. They're also durable, reliable, safe, and reusable. This makes them ideal for cities, states, and local municipalities of all sizes.
While many outdoor structures work perfectly as-is, customizing your portable storage solutions can make them even more useful. In fact, there are many creative applications that may not have crossed your mind. Following are some of the most common ways municipalities across the country are taking advantage of portable outdoor structures.
Portable Storage Space
Insufficient storage is a common problem that plagues many municipalities. From overflowing filing cabinets to cluttered shelves and closets, the lack of space creates problems with efficiency and even possible safety issues. Due to the extra space needed to maintain social distancing, many offices and classrooms are finding that they need temporary storage solutions now more than ever.
A portable storage shed is ideal for holding extra furniture, equipment, and other items that may currently be crowding municipal offices and other buildings. Since storage sheds are available in so many different sizes, they’re practical for both small-scale and bulk storage needs. Placing them on the property instead of storing items off-site is far more practical, as this makes it easy to access the items if you find that there's a need for them after all.
Swing Space
When working on an expansion or building renovation for schools, office parks, or other municipal buildings, it’s important to ensure the staff can continue doing their jobs with minimal disruptions. Using a temporary building as a swing space during construction is an inexpensive way to meet this need.
Installing a temporary garage on the construction site will also ensure there’s a safe and convenient place to store excavators, scaffolding, ladders, building supplies, and other commonly used items. While it's always important to make sure they're anchored properly, these temporary structures don't have to be installed on top of a concrete slab or foundation. This makes it easy to set up a swing space in a variety of locations without an abundance of advanced planning.
Pavilion Covers
There’s a high demand for shaded outdoor space in parks and other areas where residents can enjoy a picnic or plan an event. Municipalities that provide these structures will have higher satisfaction rates among their residents and are likely to become a more desirable place to live.
In addition, renting out pavilion space can become a source of revenue. This allows municipalities to quickly realize a return on their investment. Large carports are an excellent, cost-effective way to add a pavilion cover, shaded picnic area, or covered playground to your park space. They’re quick and easy to install and are built to withstand the elements so you can feel confident that your new structure will look great for years.
Classrooms and Meeting Space
Classroom overcrowding was a huge issue before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Today, it’s even more critical to ensure there's plenty of space for students and teachers to spread out. This has created a significant challenge for many municipalities as they struggle to find enough space so they can adapt to this “new normal.”
Using temporary buildings to create modular classrooms is not a new trend. However, it’s one that is expected to grow significantly in the near future.
In locations where the weather is pleasant year-round, temporary outdoor structures like fabric buildings or even open carports can also be used as faculty break rooms, cafeterias, or spaces for club meetings and after-school activities.
Of course, in some locations, it's not feasible for faculty or students to spend their time in outdoor structures due to weather or other issues. In this case, it’s possible to create extra classroom space indoors by relocating textbooks, equipment, furniture, and other items to an outdoor portable storage building.
Portable Offices
Classrooms aren’t the only spaces where overcrowding is an issue. Using temporary buildings for mobile offices can help you separate your workforce, giving everyone more space for social distancing. You can also add off-site office space to create additional service locations. This will allow for reduced foot traffic in each space.
As more municipalities begin to open back up and employees come back from working from home, extra flexibility is critical. Since temporary buildings are quick and easy to set up, having a few on hand will help ensure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. This will allow you to add extra space when and where it's needed without a long delay or unnecessary closings.
Landscaping Storage
It’s important to keep your outdoor areas looking great. Doing so requires the use of heavy equipment, tools, and other landscaping supplies. Since many of these items are expensive, it’s important to have a safe and secure place to store them.
Commercial storage shelters offer plenty of space and will protect your landscape gear from the elements. This will help extend the life span of your equipment and ensure everything functions as it should when it’s needed. A portable storage building is also a more attractive solution than keeping things out in the open.
If your municipality uses sand or road salt, it’s also critical to store it properly. These items are best stored in covered containers where they’ll stay dry and won’t be exposed to rain or snow. Many states also regulate the location of road salt storage, requiring that it’s kept a minimum distance away from water supplies. Purchasing sealed storage containers and keeping them inside an enclosed portable storage shed is often the best solution.
Fleet Parking
If your city, state, or local municipality has a fleet of vehicles, there’s a good chance that they represent a multi-million-dollar investment. It’s critical to provide safe, long-term storage for these vehicles. Doing so will protect them from the elements, improve operational efficiencies, and help ensure both public safety and the safety of municipal employees.
While a full-sized permanent structure is best for some municipalities, many prefer the cost-effectiveness and flexibility a portable vehicle structure offers. As long as you choose a high-quality structure and ensure that it’s properly anchored, it will provide sufficient protection for many years.
Concession Stands
Sports fields, event spaces, public parks, and other areas can benefit from using temporary outdoor structures to house their concession stands. This is a far less expensive option than building a more permanent structure from scratch.
A concession stand offers a source of revenue by creating a safe and comfortable space to sell tickets, merchandise, or food and drinks. This will allow municipalities to quickly recoup their investment so they can divert the profits to other worthy causes. These structures are strong, durable, and weather-resistant, so they'll stand up to use season after season.
Depending on the amount of space available, you may also consider placing some tables and chairs under a portable carport to create a covered dining area. By offering patrons a comfortable place to sit and enjoy their snacks, you’ll likely sell even more concession items, improving your profits even further.
Seasonal Equipment Storage
From snow plows and salt spreaders to mowers and street cleaners, most municipalities have many pieces of seasonal equipment. Not only is it necessary to have space to store this equipment when it’s not in use, but staff often uses the off-season to inspect and repair it. This means they need a safe area where they’re protected from the elements and can work in comfort.
Many smaller municipalities find that investing in a carport is sufficient for their seasonal storage needs. Others prefer a larger portable storage building that is closed on all four sides. This will protect the contents from wind, snow, and rain and is easier to secure. Choosing the right storage solution for your needs will depend on many factors, including the amount of equipment your need to store, how severe the weather is in your location, and whether you need to be concerned about the potential for theft.
Outdoor Structures for Municipal Use
Thanks to their durability and versatility, many municipalities are finding that outdoor structures are an excellent investment. At ShelterLogic, we carry a wide variety of temporary buildings, garages, carports, and other outdoor structures to meet your portable storage and swing space needs.
Take a look through our inventory today and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff will help you sort through your options and choose the right structure to meet your municipality's specific requirements.