BRIDGEPORT -- Another highly visible factory building in the city is getting a makeover.
U-Haul has purchased the former Bridgeport Metal Goods factory at 365 Cherry St. and plans to transform it into a plant for truck and trailer rentals, self-storage and more.
"The motivation for repurposing this property stems from the increased demand locally for our products and services," said Patrick Keefe, U-Haul's marketing company president for the area.
"The location, visibility from I-95 and the easy access for our customers make this an attractive location for us."
U-Haul already has several other facilities in the city -- one on Boston Avenue and another on Fairfield Avenue.
The West End factory was built by Bridgeport Metal Goods in 1916 and at one time had up to 600 employees there.
The company occupied the building until 1980.
It then became a warehouse until around 2011. It has been vacant ever since.
"Adaptive reuse is a solution that U-Haul uses across North America as part of our company-wide sustainability initiative," Keefe said, in an email.
"We believe that the redevelopment of existing buildings is generally better for the environment and that preserving their historic identity is important to the communities we serve."
David Kooris, the city's economic development director, said he didn't know what to expect when the moving and storage company approached the city with its plan.
"Once I saw pictures of comparable sites they restored, I knew they were going to be the best partner for us," Kooris said. He also said that he was also impressed with the company's research on Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch's BGreen 2020 sustainability initiatives.
"It was synergistic with the green ethos of the mayor," Kooris said. "It was just a home run for them and us."
Keefe said it was difficult to estimate the project cost due to the condition of the structure.
U-Haul will convert the property to a location that offers truck, trailer and U-Box rentals, self-storage and moving supplies.
The company's plans for the building, now in the design and planning phase, will likely coincide with development of a U-shaped mill complex down the street.
Corvus Capital Partners plans to turn that city block -- bounded by Cherry Street and Railroad, Hancock and Howard avenues -- into a gated community of 314 mixed-income units.
A commercial building will also be part of the project, which Kooris estimates could cost $100 million.
"If we could have both of those going simultaneously it would be phenomenally impactful as far as changing the image of the city from I-95," Kooris said.
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