One of Manteca’s biggest eyesores could soon become the city’s largest climate controlled mini-storage.
The owners of the 73,319-square-foot building that once housed tech assembly firms such as Indy Electronics, Alphatec, and Turn-Key Solutions that peaked out at 750 employees have submitted plans for the conversion that are being reviewed Tuesday by the Manteca Planning Commission. The commission meets at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.
The two-story building in the Manteca Industrial Park on the southeast corner of Industrial Park Drive and Mellon Avenue  has been vandalized over the years by the homeless that stripped the interior of the high amount of copper wiring in place due to the electronics manufacturing and assembly process.
In one year alone, the losses were pegged at $500,000. It was also the site of a homeless man dying after he tried to break in through a skylight and fell two floors to his death. The structure itself wasn’t damaged but walls and false ceilings were gutted.
The first floor will have climate controlled storage units ranging from 5 by 10 feet to 10 by 20 feet in size. The inside will also accommodate three dozen vehicles and/or boats in a temperature controlled environment.
There will also be exterior vehicle storage with 64 stalls. There will be an 8-foot fence for security.
The second floor will include seven small offices and two bathrooms as well as a 1,800-square-foot caretaker’s residence.
There is also 1,800-square-foot satellite building that will be used for offices or retail.
The building will retain its current architectural façade and will receive a new coat of paint.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com