Update 4/28/22 – The Danville Planning Commission was expected to discuss and approve a land-use permit this week that would allow the two-story Diablo Road self-storage project to move forward. The building size has increased to 22,847 square feet, since planners expressed general support two years ago. The Design Review Board recommended approval for the project in January, and a city-staff report has since said the project is “compatible and complementary to the uses and intent of the zoning district.” The permit is required for any non-office developments within the city’s Downtown Business District 6 area.

10/11/21 – The DealPoint Merrill self-storage project planned for W. 130th Street in Parma Heights, Ohio, which was previously rejected by the city council, will move forward after all. After negotiations, it was decided the developer will provide the city with a $500,000 “voluntary development sheet” once the plan has been approved and permits issued, according to the source. Those funds are now earmarked for infrastructure projects.

“This will offset the minimal amount of income-tax revenue created by the development,” Mayor Michael P. Byrne told the source. “This was part of the negotiation and the tipping point that gave council and myself comfort because there is going to be a lack of jobs down there when they add a storage facility.”

DealPoint has acquired the 50-year-old shopping center and will convert the 155,805-square-foot property to self-storage. The $10 million project is expected to begin early next year. The center is currently occupied by Old Time Pottery.

Though city officials hoped the retail space would attract another business use that would bring in more jobs and tax revenue, the previous property owner, Wells Fargo, pushed the city to get on board with the DealPoint project. To help move things along, the bank agreed to forgive $237,500 in assessment funds it was owed by Parma Heights.

1/29/21 – Though DealPoint Merrill received a zoning variance to convert the former Stop & Shop supermarket in Meriden, Conn., to self-storage, Mayor Scarpati has asked the council to review city zoning regulations. The zoning board of appeals (ZBA) granted the change earlier this month after the developer proved hardship resulting from the city’s existing regulations, which don’t currently accommodate self-storage. The seven facilities that already exist in the city were also granted ZBA variances, according to a source. Scarpati said he was “disappointed in the decision,” but acknowledged the city needs to revisit its guidelines. DealPoint will next submit a site plan to the planning commission. If it gets approval, it’ll invest $8 million to $13 million to build the project.

12/18/20 – The global self-storage development pipeline continues to be extremely dynamic. Inside Self-Storage regularly covers new projects being planned and approved as well as zoning and other municipal issues. Following is additional activity taking place in December 2020.

Amy’s Attic Self Storage, which operates eight facilities in Central Texas, is opening a new location in Waco in February. The property at 4700 New Road Ave. is near Cottonwood Creek Golf Course and adjacent to shopping mall Central Texas Marketplace. It’ll comprise 100,000 square feet.

Arcland Property Co., a Georgetown, Washington, DC.-based real estate development and investment company, has opened self-storage facilities in Kensington, Md., and Reston, Va. The Kensington facility at 4900 Nicholson Court contains 1,314 units. The second property, at 1808 Michael Faraday Court in Reston, contains four stories and 1,100 units. Both will be managed by Self Storage Plus, a Washington, D.C.-based company with 45 properties in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Worcester County, Md., Planning Commission unanimously approved the site plan for Buas Self Storage in West Ocean City. The development on Route 50, south of Samuel Bowen Boulevard, will comprise 106,000 square feet of self-storage in three two-story structures and a 5,000-square-foot maintenance building. Some houses and other items on the property will need to be razed.

Real estate developers Coastal Storage Group and Miller-Valentine Group are building two new facilities in Fort Myers and Ormond Beach, Fla. The three-story project in Ormond will comprise 94,868 square feet and is expected to open in fall 2021. The three-story Fort Meyers project on Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will include 99,339 square feet. Construction will begin next month and be complete in February 2022. Both will be managed by self-storage REIT CubeSmart and branded under its name.

Coro Realty and DG Real Estate Partners LLC will begin construction next month on Fairburn 85 Self Storage in Fairburn, Ga. The 2.6-acre site at 7935 Senoia Road is near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Peachtree City, the largest city in Fayette County. Plans call for a three-story building comprising 114,000 square feet in 800 units, and two smaller buildings designed for vehicle storage. Expected to be complete in late 2021, the project is Coro’s third self-storage development in the state. Founded in 1997, Coro provides investment, asset management, leasing and property management for commercial and residential properties in the Southeast United States. DG Real Estate was created in 2018 to merge Galbraith Enterprises Inc. and Dahlco Real Estate Development. Under principals Matt Dahlhauser and Stephen Galbraith, the company has nearly $100 million in projects under development.

DealPoint Merrill intends to convert a former Stop & Shop supermarket in Meriden, Conn., to self-storage, but the project faces opposition from residents and city officials. Community members would prefer another supermarket, while Mayor Kevin Scapati argued that a self-storage facility wouldn’t provide economic value to the area. DealPoint CEO David Frank wrote a letter to the local newspaper noting the company’s market studies, which indicate grocery stores are oversupplied in the area, while self-storage is undersupplied at less than 3 square feet per person. The Stop & Shop store closed last month. The submarket the storage facility would serve is comprised of up to 48 percent apartments, which means there’s population turnover, Frank said. DealPoint applied for a variance from the zoning board of appeals in October.

Easy Access Storage Ltd. received approval to develop an office and self-storage facility in Widnes, England. The project will be built on a .66-hectare site at the intersection of Carter House Way and Earle Road. It’ll include 6,000 square feet of office space spread over two floors. The site requires remediation from asbestos and elevated levels of methane and carbon dioxide left over from previous chemical use. Easy Access is working with development consultancy Walsingham Planning Ltd. on the project.

Eltec Construction and Investment filed a zoning application to build Attic Safe Self Storage in the West Little River neighborhood of Miami. Plans for the 0.62-acre property at 8901 22nd Ave. include a four-story building comprising 86,931 square feet in 643 units. The architect is Blitstein Design Associates of Coral Gables, Fla. Eltec, managed by Elrod Phillips, acquired the property in 2015 in a foreclosure auction.

In his in his quest to develop a four-story self-storage facility in Niles, Ill., developer Adam French received approval for a property-tax incentive from the Niles Finance Committee on Dec. 3. The proposed $7.4 million project for the vacant lot at 7421 N. Waukegan would also include 1,600 square feet of retail space on the first floor.

Development and real estate firm InSite Property Group, the parent company of SecureSpace Self Storage, opened a new location in Torrance, Calif. The three-story facility at 722 W. 220th St. comprises 71,000 square feet of climate-controlled space and 480 square feet of covered vehicle storage. Insite acquired the 2-acre site for $5.6 million from Wentworth Property Co. in 2019. Valley National Bank provided the $11.1 million construction loan.

InSite also acquired a 9.9-acre site in San Diego on which it intends to develop a new SecureSpace location. The facility at the intersection of Interstate 15 and State Route 56 will comprise 109,725 net rentable square feet and 115 boat/RV parking spaces. The property will include an RV wash-and-dump station. Based in Redondo Beach, Calif., InSite is an integrated developer, builder and operator of commercial real estate. It has more than 30 stores operating or under construction.

Issaquah, Wash.-based development firm JPR Construction opened Summit Heated Self Storage in the Summit community of Tacoma, Wash. The facility at 5104 104th St. E. comprises 105,349 square feet in 843 units and 79 boat/RV spaces. It was designed by Stephen Bourne of Seattle-based Site + Plan + Mix LLC. The facility will be managed by West Coast Self-Storage Group (WCSSG), a property-management, acquisition and development company headquartered in Everett, Wash. WCSSG operates 77 managed and owned locations in California, Oregon and Washington.

One Mile Self-Storage opened on a 7.17-acre parcel in East Windsor, N.J. The facility at 117 1 Mile Road comprises 76,286 square feet. The architectural design includes a barn-style building to blend with surrounding properties. The facility is owned by Jim Lombardo and Mike McCloskey.

Madison Capital Group intends to convert a former Toys ‘R’ Us store in Bradenton, Fla., into a Go Store It location. The project at 512 Cortez Road W. also includes a former tire shop that was connected to the toy store. Madison opened another conversion last year inside a former Sears at the nearby DeSoto Square Mall. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Madison specializes in the acquisition, development and management of self-storage assets throughout the county. It operates 43 Go Store It locations nationwide.

Metro Storage LLC, which owns more than 135 self-storage properties in 14 states, is seeking zoning approval to build a three-story facility in Eagan, Minn. The property on the southeast corner of Dodd Road and Minnesota State Highway 55 contains two parcels, one zoned for general business, the other for residential. The Eagan Planning Commission granted Metro approval to combine the two lots. The council was expected to review the proposal at its Dec. 15 meeting. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Metro Storage operates the Metro Self Storage brand. The privately owned, fully integrated real estate company specializes in the acquisition, development and management of self-storage facilities in Brazil, Central America and the United States.

Mini-West Storage in Corsicana, Texas, has opened its expansion. The addition at 1400 N. 45th St. includes 39,950 square feet in 278 units. The facility opened in 1987 with just six buildings. It was later expanded to 750 units.

NitNeil Partners, an Atlanta-based investment firm specializing in self-storage, completed construction on a four-story facility in Austin, Texas. The property at 2009 Airport Blvd. comprises 78,580 rentable square feet in 885 units. SBS Construction served as general contractor. It’ll be managed by Life Storage. NitNeil owns 24 self-storage facilities in 11 states comprising 1.5 million net rentable square feet.

Accountants Carrie and Edgar Ooms opened Self Access Storage in Rainier, Wash. Built on 1.5 acres at 402 Myers St., the facility comprises 70 units in two buildings. The couple and an unidentified business partner intend to add 70 more units by April. This is the first self-storage facility developed by the Ooms.

Primerica Group One Inc. completed a six-building facility in Palmetto, Fla. The property at 4805 96th St. E. comprises 794 units and is anchored by a 94,200-square-foot climate-controlled building. Larger units accommodate RVs and are equipped with shore charging. The site is part of the 200-acre Woods of Moccasin Wallow mixed-use development. The facility will be managed by Life Storage. Founded in 1987, Primerica specializes commercial and multi-family development along the West Coast of Florida.

Schaap Moving & Storage opened in Worthington, Minn. The 8,000-square-foot building on Oxford Street comprises 40 units, which can be accessed year-round off Stower Drive. Schaap Moving has served the area for more than 65 years. In addition to self-storage, it offers local and long-distance moving, and professional packing.

A self-storage project for Port Chester, N.Y., by Storage Deluxe, a Manhattan-based self-storage owner and developer, is under review by the town’s planning commission and zoning board of appeals. The operator wants to demolish several existing structures at 354 N. Main St. and develop a four-story building comprising 106,240 square feet. Once complete, the facility would be managed by CubeSmart. Founded in 1998 and based in Manhattan, Storage Deluxe has 65 projects completed and in development, totaling 7 million square feet.

Real Estate developer TFE Properties opened a self-storage facility inside a converted Kmart building in East Brunswick, N.J. The property at 645 Rout 18 comprises 130,000 square feet in 1,100 units. It’s part of a larger mixed-use project that’ll include additional retail at the Junction Pointe center. The self-storage facility will be managed by CubeSmart and branded under its name. Based in East Windsor, N.J., TFE specializes in hospitality, multi-family, office, retail and self-storage projects.

Two C’s Investment LLC intends to develop Cruth Self Storage in Easton, Wash. The facility at 2451 E. Railroad St. would comprise 254 units and be built in phases. The site requires a conditional-use permit. Easton officials are accepting public comment until Jan. 4, after which a public hearing will be scheduled. Two C’s is based in Lynnwood, Wash.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc., which operates more than 1,700 self-storage facilities across North America, received permission to convert a former Kmart in Jacksonville, Fla. Plans for the 95,000-square-foot building at 1501 Normandy Village Parkway will add 75,522 square feet of storage in the first phase. Phase two calls for 18,428 square feet as well as retail space. Scherer Construction of North Florida LLC is the builder. U-Haul Florida LLC purchased the 8.7-acre property in 2018 for $3.7 million.

U-Haul also plans to expand one of its moving and rental centers in Seattle to include self-storage. The five-story structure at 1119 N.W. Leary Way in the Ballard Interbay Northend Manufacturing and Industrial Center would comprise 117,000 square feet in 905 units. The ground floor would include 53 parking spaces and loading bays as well as a retail and office area. The company has owned the half-acre property since 1986. Established in 1945, U-Haul operates more than 68 million square feet of storage space in North America.

Vinson Realty and VIP Management Inc. received zoning approval from the Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission to develop a facility dedicated to vehicle storage in Bellemont, Ariz. The project for the 4.82-acre property will include 232 spaces in five covered storage areas, two of which will be enclosed garages, and a small office with two parking spaces. Based in Tempe, Ariz., Vinson specializes in real estate and home rentals.

12/2/20 – The global self-storage development pipeline continues to be extremely dynamic. Inside Self-Storage regularly covers new projects being planned and approved as well as zoning and other municipal issues. Following is activity taking place in December 2020.

Always Sunny Storage opened in Waterville, Maine. The facility at 69 Chaffee Brook Road offers container-storage units as well outdoor vehicle storage. A second phase is expected to open in the spring.

Local entrepreneurs Claire and Jamie Bradfield and Josh and Katie McGinty opened The Boathouse, a boat/RV self-storage facility, in LaGrange, Ga. Built on 17 acres at 1201 New Franklin Road, the property comprises 30 enclosed units and nine covered spots, all with access to power. In total, the spaces comprise more than 400 square feet. The site has room for 30 more units.

The Parma Heights, Ohio, City Council voted against a self-storage project proposed by DealPoint Merrill LLC, which wanted to build a 62,000-square-foot facility at 7011 W. 130th St. The developer submitted its application in May 2019; but in February 2020, the city enacted a six-month moratorium on new development within its planned-unit development area, which included the targeted 12.53-acre site. The planning commission voted against recommending the project in July. The city is currently updating its master plan, and officials are hopeful the site will attract a business that’ll bring in more jobs and revenue. In addition to self-storage, DealPoint owns and operates shopping centers, malls and multi-family dwellings.

York, England, officials don’t appear to be favorable toward converting most of Wigginton Road Car Park to self-storage. York-based Inner Space Stations Self Storage proposed adding 31 storage containers to the site, while preserving seven of the 28 existing parking spaces. Officials have criticized the plan as inappropriate for the area, which is near residences. Inner Space operates three locations in the city.

J2 Development LLC is demolishing a building on land it owns in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and building a self-storage facility in its place. Plans for the 0.87-acre site at 112 Hollywood Blvd. include 400 units. Expected to be complete within a year, the facility will be managed by Move It Storage and branded under its name.

Life Storage Inc., a publicly traded self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) and third-party management firm, intends to build a three-story facility next to an existing location in Buffalo, N.Y. The new project would be east of the facility at 400 Kenmore Ave., in what was the parking lot of the former Budwey’s grocery store, which the REIT converted five years ago. The proposed addition to the 4.55-acre site would have a footprint of 28,000 square feet and be 38 feet tall. The planning board was expected to review the project on Monday. Based in Buffalo, Life Storage operates more than 900 self-storage facilities in 30 states and Ontario, Canada. Its portfolio of owned and managed facilities comprises more than 65.8 million square feet.

A mixed-use development proposed by Procaccianti Cos., under the name OGN LLC, was denied by officials in Providence, R.I. The proposal for the 3.8-acre lot at the corner of Dean Street and Kinsley Avenue would’ve included a five-story self-storage facility containing 850 units, an eight-pump gas station, and a convenience store with a delicatessen and drive-thru. The city plan commission said the project didn’t coincide with its designs to make the area more inviting to pedestrians and suitable for outdoor enjoyment. Based in Cranston, R.I., Procaccianti is a privately held real estate investment and management company.

SafeStorage opened locations in Chennai and Pune, India. The two facilities comprise a total of 10,000 square meters. Based in Bangalore, India, SafeStorage operates in four cities, with plans to expand to nine municipalities by the end of next year.

Shurgard Self Storage Europe SARL, the European affiliate of U.S.-based real estate investment trust Public Storage Inc., intends to build a new facility in Morangis, a suburb of Paris. Expected to open in late 2021, the building will comprise 64,583 square feet in 850 units. Shurgard operates 242 self-storage facilities comprising 1.2 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Shurgard also opened a new location in the Oberschöneweide area of Berlin. The multi-story structure comprises about 1,000 units. The site is Shurgard's fourth in Berlin, with another under development.

Star Slidell LLC is converting a former Dillard’s department store in Slidell, La., to self-storage. The 40,000-square-foot space was an anchor to the North Shore Square mall at 150 Northshore Blvd. The city council recently approved a conditional-use permit for the project. The indoor mall opened in 1985, but Canada-based owner Morguard Corp. closed the interior last year. It has three retail spaces that are still active. Dillard’s owned two retail spaces at the site, selling one to Star Slidell in September for $1.1 million.

The Storage Fox, which operates four New York facilities, is seeking zoning approval to build a mixed-use property in the Eastchester community of The Bronx, N.Y. Plans for the site at 3556 Peartree Ave. include 98,000 square feet of self-storage and a 46,000-square-foot banquet hall. It’ll be designed by Designed by T.F. Cusanelli & Filletti Architects. The property currently houses a single-story auto storage and an attached salvage yard. If approved, the project would be completed next year in a single phase. The Storage Fox was acquired by valet-storage operator Clutter last year.

The Danville, Calif., Planning Commission is considering a proposal for a two-story self-storage facility that would replace a former assisted-living building. Plans for the 0.96-acre site at 344 Diablo Road include 17,000 square feet of storage as well as a residence. The 13,760-square-foot building, which has been vacant for five years, will be demolished.

New Source:
Danville San Ramon, Danville: Planning Commission to Vote on Proposed Self-Storage Facility Downtown

Previous Sources:
Cleveland.com, Parma Heights to Receive $500,000 in DealPoint Merrill’s Pearl Road Development Deal
Arizona Daily Sun, North Bellemont RV and Boat Storage Yard Approved
CentralJersey.com, Redeveloper Opens New CubeSmart Self-Storage Facility at Former East Brunswick Kmart
Corsicana Daily Sun, Business News: Mini-West Storage Expansion to Open This Month
CP Executive, InSite Property Group Debuts Los Angeles Storage Facility
Daily Journal of Commerce, U-Haul Plans New Ballard Storage Facility
Daily Record, Notice of Application
Herald Tribune, Bradenton Toys 'R' Us Being Converted to Self-Storage
In Your Area, Derelict Land in Widnes to Be Redeveloped as Office and Self-Storage
Jax Daily Record, Westside Kmart Becoming U-Haul Moving & Storage
Journal and Topics, Waukegan Road Self Storage Development Proposal Back With 7B Tax Request
My Ballard, U-Haul Plans to Turn Ballard Property Into 5-Story Self-Storage Facility
My Record Journal, Company CEO Defends Plan for Self Storage at Former Meriden Supermarket
Nisqually Valley News, Self Access Storage Is Rainier’s Newest Business
Patch, Mayor Mironov Inaugurates New Storage Facility In East Windsor
Patch, Summit Heated Self Storage Opens in Tacoma, Washington
PR Newswire, Amy's Attic Self Storage to Open New Location in Waco, TX
PR Newswire, SecureSpace Self Storage Announces the Grand Opening of a New Self Storage Facility in Torrance, California
REBusiness Online, Arcland Property Opens Two Self-Storage Facilities in Metro D.C.
South Florida Business Journal, Crane Watch
Sun This Week, Long Vacant Property Could Become Storage Facility in Eagan
The Dispatch, Storage Facility Site Plan Approved
The Globe, New Storage Facility Now Open in Worthington
Westchester & Fairfield County Business Journals, Leading Self-Storage Developer Pitches CubeSmart Project in Port Chester
My Record Journal, Self-Storage Plan Prompts Mayor to Request Review of Meriden Zoning
PR Web, Always Sunny Storage of Waterville, Maine Disrupts Conventional Storage Market
Danville San Ramon, Two-Story Self-Storage Facility Proposed Near Downtown Danville
Eco-Ri News, Providence Officials Reject Gas Station and Self-Storage Project
NWF Daily News, Planned Storage Facility to Replace Project Hope Center in Fort Walton Beach
New York Yimby, T.F. Cusanelli & Filletti Architects Design Banquet Hall And Self-Storage Facility In Eastchester, The Bronx
PR Newswire, Now Open: U-Haul of North Nashua Has Self-Storage Rooms for Rent
Buffalo Rising, Three-Story Self-Storage Facility Proposed for Kenmore Avenue
Cleveland.com, Parma Heights Council Nixes Storage Unit Facility on West 130th Street
NOLA.com, Mini-Storage to Open in Moribund Slidell Mall Anchor Spot
The Hindu BusinessLine, Storage Firm SafeStorage Comes to Chennai, Pune
The LaGrange Daily News, The Boathouse Facility Opens, Specializing in Boat and RV Storage
The Press, Wigginton Road Car Park May Be Turned Into Self-Storage Unit Site