John.
Great bench!
As a suggestion. I have an assembly table that was wide open on the bottom (a serious junk collector). I just built a very simple box of drawers and slid it under the top and screwed it down. It has proven very functional and a good way to organize some of the smaller tools.
I just used some 3/4 birch plywood and some 16" Accuride slides and finished the drawer fronts with plain 'ol blonde shellac.
You could divide the space under the bench with a set of drawer boxes on one side with open shelves on the other out of some nice maple or oak plywood.
Wayne