The U-Haul Co. of North Indiana and South Cook County has expanded the U-Haul network of self-storage locations with its purchase of Simply Self Storage at 16643 Kedzie Ave. in Markham, Illinois. The facility, which will be rebranded as U-Haul Moving and Storage of Markham, is a two-story structure with 700 self-storage units, 470 of which are climate-controlled.

The property also features eight office suites for lease as well as outdoor, drive-up storage and boat/RV storage. Other amenities include electronically controlled access, digital video surveillance, free use of storage carts, and more. The site will offer a variety of environmentally friendly packing supplies including boxes made out of recyclable materials, 100 percent biodegradable packing peanuts, and moving pads made from recycled denim.

Also on site will be a Take a Box/Leave a Box display, which allows customers or anyone in the community to leave moving boxes or unwanted electronics boxes for another customer to reuse for free, instead of throwing them away or recycling them.

"We are excited to be expanding our presence in Markham and look forward to continuing our long-standing relationships with local communities throughout Illinois," said Craig Wilson, president, U-Haul Co. of North Indiana and South Cook County.

Established in 1945, U-Haul has a network of more than 16,300 locations throughout the United States and Canada. The company offers more than 36 million square feet of self-storage space at nearly 1,100 facilities throughout North America.