Safeguard Self Storage, which operates facilities throughout the eastern states, has completed the conversion of a former health club to self-storage in Massapequa, N.Y. It’s the company’s 69th storage property overall and 25th in the state.

The former Sunrise Health & Racquet club at 6000 Sunrise Highway is across from Westfield Sunrise Mall and 12 miles east of Safeguard’s West Hempstead, N.Y., facility. It comprises 59,725 rentable square feet of storage space in 689 units. Property amenities include climate-controlled and drive-up units, computer-controlled access, individual unit alarms and video cameras. The site is managed by facility manager Andrew Kosiewska and Kimeta Imeri, assistant manager.

"Safeguard is excited about continuing its expansion in New York and feels this store will be a great addition to its already large portfolio there,” said Jim Goonan, senior vice president of development.

During the facility’s development, Safeguard received tax breaks from the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, which helps businesses relocate, expand and finance new investments nationwide. The agency granted the storage operator a $333,141 sales-tax exemption and a property-tax break that freezes the tax rate for five years, followed by a 1.66 percent increase in each of the next five years and a 2 percent increase in the final five years.

Safeguard has several other projects under development, including two in Chicago, five in Florida and three in New York.

“We have been in the New York market since building our first self-storage facility there 15 years ago in 2001,” said Ken Finlay, senior vice president of operations. “These 25 stores, and the three additional stores in development, give Safeguard one of the strongest brand presences in New York and help us serve our customers there well.”

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Atlanta, Safeguard operates facilities in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The company is owned and operated by Morgan Stanley’s Prime Property Fund.

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