Personally, if I were you, I would build a 12-18” tall stand to set it on so that the overall height is around 5.5-6 ft tall. Place a cabinet on either or both sides of it and put the filter(s) in it/them. Then, stock it with 10-12 discus and add some cories on the bottom.
For filtration, I would recommend two large canisters, either FX6’s, Eheim 2262’s, or SunSun 304B’s. Just plumb them up to the overflow and return ports.
If you can place it somewhere that you can put a sump near it, then that would be a good option too.
For water changes, you might consider drilling a hole at the bottom so you can install a valve and use a hose to just drain it outside.
I definitely think there are a lot of good options for this tank. I’m sure you can make something great out of it.