I live in rural Ohio, if you know about Ohio the saying here is "Wait a minute, and the weather will change". That said I know many, many pole barn owners, and have had work done, hay stored, cattle butchered, and equipment stored in them.
Two things to keep in mind, temperature, and moisture. To achieve temperature control you need insulation. and heat. Pest control is mandatory with a pole barn not sealed up. With moisture there has to be vapor barrier in walls, and floor, so no gravel, must be concrete. With these factors, you may need a sealed up garage, but if you need room, pole barn is the answer.
Lastly, I have barns that are nearly 100 yrs old in my area, on pole construction, the walls rotted before the poles were affected. You will never live to see the end of your barn. I have seen houses that did not last as long as some pole barns.
