Jumbo Self Storage LLC received city approval to build a four-story facility on a portion of a large boat-storage yard in Quincy, Mass. The 1.5-acre lot at 671 and 661-665 Washington St. is just west of the Fore River Bridge rotary and north of an old shipyard.

January 23, 2018

4 Min Read
Jumbo Self Storage Gets Green Light for 4-Story Facility in Quincy, MA

Update 1/23/18 – Construction is progressing on the Quincy Self Storage project on Washington Street. The four-story structure comprises 125,000 square feet. The first floor will house sales and administrative offices, while the upper floors will offer 1,150 climate-controlled storage units. Eight “drive-in” units will be built outside the main building, according to the source.

The project is being constructed with steel and insulated wall panels by Rockland, Mass.-based Integrated Builders. The main building will offer two oversized freight elevators.

The facility owner is listed as GRE Quincy LLC, an affiliate of Jumbo Capital Management.

9/15/16 – Jumbo Self Storage received approval from the Quincy Planning Board on Sept. 14 to build a new facility in the city. The developer was also awarded its three requested permits.

In a letter to the planning board, Croall said the project was a better option aesthetically than other industrial uses permitted for the site, according to the source. He also noted the storage facility won’t cause an increase in traffic traveling across Fore River Bridge, which logs about 30,000 vehicles a day.

7/15/16 Jumbo Self Storage LLC is seeking city approval to build a four-story facility on a portion of a large boat-storage yard in Quincy, Mass. The 1.5-acre lot at 671 and 661-665 Washington St. is just west of the Fore River Bridge rotary and north of an old shipyard.

Members of the Quincy Planning Board were receptive to the project during a July 13 meeting. The proposed lot is a key gateway point for the city, according to Brad Croall, city councilor for Ward 2. If designed appropriately, the storage facility would be an improvement over the boat yard, he said. “That’s the first point of judgment for motorists coming into the city, and I think we can do better. I really do.”

Jumbo plans to purchase only a portion of the boat yard from owners Paul Griffith and Michael Scalisi of Quincy Maritime Park LLC. The remaining space would continue to serve as boat storage, according to the source.

An existing structure on the site that once housed a gas station and later a donation center for Quincy Checker Cab would be demolished, the source reported. The facility would comprise 122,900 square feet of storage space in 1,062 units as well as include 12 parking spots, green space and a loading area. The property would be operated by a self-storage management company.

Although the land is zoned industrial and self-storage is an acceptable use, the developer is seeking three special permits: a parking waiver, a signage waiver and a final one because the property would be for a major, nonresidential use, the source reported. Current zoning prohibits commercial signs over 60 square feet. Jumbo has proposed two signs for the property that are 250 square feet each. The business will also need fewer parking spaces, according to Edward Fleming, an attorney representing the storage operator.

The storage building will be similar in design and size to that of an Extra Space Storage facility recently built at 27 Liberty St., according to the source. Board member Maureen Glynn said she’d consider the proposal if the architectural design was aesthetically pleasing. She pointed to Castle Self-Storage in Weymouth, Mass., as an “ugly” example. “We don’t want anything that’s garish like that,” she said.

Bill Chaggaris, who lives behind the proposed site, voiced his concerns about allowing a 45-foot-high facility to be built, noting the large structure would block the sunlight from his home. “I’m going to be in the shade for eternity,” he said.

The planning board voted to continue the discussion at its Aug. 24 meeting.

Jumbo Self Storage is led by Howard Hirsh, partner, and Jay Hirsh, managing partner and co-founder, of Jumbo Capital Management LLC, a privately held commercial real estate firm specializing in office space. The company made its first foray into the self-storage market last fall with the acquisition of a warehouse in Norwood, Mass., it plans to convert to storage.

Sources:
New England Real Estate Journal: Integrated Builders Tops-Off 125,000 S/F Quincy Self Storage
The Patriot Ledger: New Self-Storage Facility Proposed Near Fore River Bridge in Quincy
The Patriot Ledger: Quincy Planning Board OKs Self-Storage Facility Near Fore River Bridge

 

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter
ISS is the most comprehensive source for self-storage news, feature stories, videos and more.

You May Also Like