Construction accounted for about 5.5 percent of jobs in Mahoning County in 2022, a larger share than the statewide 4.5 percent, and transportation and warehousing added roughly 4 percent more, according to Ohio's labor market data. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were among the county's most-advertised openings. That adds up to a lot of trucks, trailers and machines that need somewhere dry to wait out a Youngstown winter.
Equipment storage pole buildings come together well when they're planned around the fleet. We start with your largest unit and how it moves through the yard, then set door widths, clear height and the slab around it. In a county that averages nearly 68 inches of snow a season, we also plan the roof and door layout so a heavy overnight snowfall doesn't block the doors on the morning you need to roll out.
What to know before building in Youngstown
Plan the yard, not just the building
Tractor-trailers and lowboys need room to swing. We site the building so trucks can pull through or back in without tight jackknifing, and check the layout against the setbacks your zoning office requires. Mahoning County lists a curb cut permit from the appropriate road department among the approvals needed before a building permit, so a new driveway gets permitted early.
Drainage and erosion control
Mahoning County's building regulations list the county engineer's drainage and erosion control requirements, and floodplain rules, among the approvals required before a building permit is issued. A large roof and a gravel or paved yard shed a lot of water, so we plan gutters, downspout discharge and grading during design rather than after the first spring thaw.
Clear span and door height
A loader or excavator moving inside a building shouldn't have to dodge posts. Engineered trusses let us clear-span the full width, and we set sidewall height from the tallest piece of equipment plus door track and header clearance. Drive-through doors on both gable ends keep trucks moving forward and keep the doors out from under the eaves where snow slides off.
Business use means the commercial code
An equipment building used by a business is reviewed by Mahoning County Building Inspection under the Ohio Building Code, including sealed drawings from an Ohio architect or engineer. A machinery shed used only for farming may instead be exempt with a zoning certificate and the county's agricultural exemption form. We sort out which path applies before drawing the building.
Common equipment storage facilities projects around Youngstown
- Trailer and tractor storage for trucking companies
- Excavator, dozer and lowboy storage for site contractors
- Snow removal equipment and salt storage
- Storage buildings for equipment dealers and rental yards
- Drive-through buildings for farm machinery
- Township and municipal road equipment garages
Equipment Storage Facilities FAQs for Youngstown
Can you design a building for tractor-trailers?
Yes. The building has to fit a full rig or let you drop a trailer inside, so door width, door height and building length come from your actual equipment, not a catalog size. Where the lot allows, we plan drive-through doors on opposite ends and a slab and apron sized for loaded axles. The overhead door height is usually what sets the sidewall height.
Where can we put an equipment yard near Youngstown?
Wherever the zoning district allows it, which varies by community. Check with the City of Youngstown Zoning Department or the zoning office in Austintown, Boardman or whichever township you're considering before you buy. A 2015 Business Journal survey of the valley's warehousing found clusters along Bailey Road just south of I-76 in North Jackson and along Victoria Road in Austintown near Route 11.
Do we need permits for a storage-only building?
Yes, if a business uses it. Storage doesn't exempt a building from the Ohio Building Code; Mahoning County Building Inspection reviews it, and work started without a permit carries an administrative fee of twice the permit fee. Electrical permits come separately from the Central Electric Inspection Bureau, so lighting, heaters and door openers are permitted on their own track.
About our equipment storage facilities
Clear-span storage buildings for trucks, tractors and heavy equipment, with doors and sidewalls sized to the machines you park inside.
Sizes, materials and options