Seeking wisdom from those who have installed a lift

The pics may be deceiving, but it looks like a pretty good sized shop. I would do some measuring to see if the lift will fit kitty cornered just a little bit back by the bathroom. That will keep a lot of floor space open on that side if it will work. You may have to move 1 light, but that shouldn't be too big of a deal. Wherever you put it, see if you can figure out where the water and sewer pipes are before you go to drilling holes for the bolts that hold the lift in place. If they run under the slab, that may limit your choices of where to put the lift. If you haven't already done it, I think I would see if you could reach an agreement with the landlord that if you guys ever move out of the building, he will give you X number of months free of rent just prior to moving if you leave the lift in place when you go. That may be a win-win for both of you.