A Compass Self-Storage LLC facility proposed for Jupiter, Fla., is facing opposition from some local residents. The development would include a three-story, 91,000-square-foot building to be constructed on a vacant 2-acre parcel of land in the community of Abacoa. Those opposed to the project claim the building would be too large for the lot and bring down property values, according to the source.

In a July 8 letter to the town, resident Mark Ciarfella said the facility, “could further erode the town’s tax base and remove the ability to attract more jobs to the area.”

The parcel is currently zoned for gas stations, fast-food restaurants and movie theaters. A zoning change to allow self-storage would protect the surrounding area from more intensive development, according to Compass.

The proposal is scheduled for a preliminary vote at an Aug. 18 town-council meeting. The self-storage project is one of several proposals under consideration for Abacoa. The council is also contemplating a plan for an 18-hole miniature-golf course, according to the source.

Compass Self Storage, a member of the Amsdell family of companies, has acquired and built several facilities this year. Most recently, it purchased a facility in Manville, N.J. The company has also recently opened facilities in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Illinois and Ohio.

Headquartered in Cleveland, the Amsdell Cos. draws its roots from the family-owned construction company founded in 1928. Since its inception, the company has been active in several billions of dollars of real estate ventures, with a primary focus on self-storage. It has owned and operated more than 500 storage centers under various trade names in more than 27 states. It currently owns and operates properties in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

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