I didn't realize you needed to hold the HLT temp for a period of time. The cooler does seem like another option. Do people normally do everything up to the boil indoors on the stovetop? I've seen a lot of pictures that would allude to this.
Aside from the equipment which I think I'm settled on, I am still trying to figure out a good two-tiered system that I can use for the HLT and MT, keeping the boiler on the ground level. As someone mentioned earlier, brew stands are PRICEY.