December 3, 2020

17 Min Read
Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: February 2020

Update 12/3/20Quinlan Development Group completed construction on its new facility in Rochelle Park, N.J. The six-floor structure comprises 90,000 square feet. The site is behind a newly renovated retail center.

“We are thrilled to be growing our self-storage platform with our latest ground-up development in the Northern New Jersey market,” said Paul Chung, vice president. “This particular property is strategically located, with direct access from the state highway, and benefits from the high traffic volume within the Route 17 retail corridor.”

Quinlan has another ground-up development underway in Clifton, N.J., with completion expected by June 30.

2/24/20 – 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 more activity taking place in February 2020.

A+ Storage of Tennessee LLC has two self-storage facilities under development in Murfreesboro and Spring Hill, Tenn. The Murfreesboro project at Northfield Village will comprise 100,055 square feet in one two-story and three single-story buildings, and is expected to be complete in December. The Spring Hill development on Kedron Road will comprise 92,050 square feet, built in two phases. The first phase will yield a two-story structure, while the second will create one two-story and one single-story building. The first phase is expected to be complete early next year. Founded in 2002, A+ operates four facilities in Florida and Tennessee. It has six projects under development in Florida, Tennessee and Texas.

A-Affordable Storage RV, Boat and Personal Storage opened a new facility in Aledo, Texas. The property at 1801 FM 1187 comprises 30 units, 184 covered vehicles spaces and several outdoor parking spots. The opening follows the recent expansion at the company’s Justin, Texas, location. The Aledo facility is the operator’s sixth overall and its fourth ground-up development. A-Affordable expects to open another facility this spring in Forney, Texas, and has two more projects under development.

Aberdeen Management & Development LLC and RKAA Architects are seeking to rezone 9.11 acres in Queen Creek, Ariz., to build QC Self Storage on the southwest corner of 196th Street and Germann Road. The town council held a Feb. 5 public hearing to discuss the project, which will include a 20,915-square-foot, climate-controlled building, another 6,215-square-foot structure, and two RV-parking canopies totaling more than 40,000 square feet.

ARCO/Murray Design Build completed a new facility in Ridgefield, N.J., that’ll be managed by self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) Extra Space Storage Inc. The 152,000-square-foot, five-story structure was built into a hill, with a 29-foot retaining wall on the high side. John Tulloh was the project manager and Gary Hafen served as the superintendent. ARCO/Murray has more than 25 years of design/build experience.

Burnham St. Michael and KB Properties Inc. were denied a rezoning request to build Affordable Storage on the southwest corner of Minnesota State Highway 241 and Naber Avenue in St. Michael, Minn. The city council voted 4-1 against the project that would include 18 buildings on 12.17 acres. The structures would’ve been built in three phases on two main lots, with the third parcel proposed for an independent cold-storage building. The planning commission voted unanimously against the proposal during its Feb. 5 meeting, saying it felt it was important to keep the area zoned business/office park. About a dozen residents also spoke in opposition.

A self-storage facility proposed by Charles Kelkenberg for Clarence, N.Y., received approval on its preliminary concept review last month after the planning board called it “unappealing” and rejected it in October. Michael Metzger, president of Metzger Civil Engineering LLC, presented the revised proposal on Jan. 29 to town officials on behalf of the developer. The 7-acre site is on the northeast corner of Goodrich and County Roads. Board members had requested significant alterations to the building’s architecture and exterior design.

Charlie Douthit and Trey Henderson are developing a 40,000-square-foot self-storage facility in Homewood, Ala. Patriot Storage LLC, owned by Henderson, purchased the land at 480 Wildwood Circle N. from Suenos Birmingham LLC for $375,000. Expected to be complete this summer, the facility will offer 400 drive-up units.

Home Depot intends to develop a mixed-use project in Maspeth, N.Y., that would include a home-improvement store, a six-story self-storage facility and two single-story retail buildings at 59-02 Borden Ave. The plan is supported by the Queens Land Use Committee but not by Community Board 2, which recently recommended against it. The development would require a special-use permit for the storage facility since it doesn’t conform as a use permitted in a manufacturing district. The community board indicated it would support the special permit if Home Depot agreed to use the two retail buildings for industrial use only. The planning commission and city council must still review the proposal. If approved, the storage facility would be operated by a third-party management company.

Metro Storage LLC, which operates more than 135 self-storage properties in 14 states under the Metro Self Storage brand, is building a new facility off of State Route 10 West in Randolph, N.J. The property will offer climate-controlled units, interior loading bays and a retail office. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Metro specializes in the acquisition, development and management of self-storage facilities in Brazil, Central America and the United States.

MH Destin Storage LLC is developing a property in Destin, Fla., that’ll be managed by self-storage REIT CubeSmart and branded under its name. Once complete, it’ll contain 79,758 square feet of climate-controlled storage, according to Okaloosa County Growth Management Director Elliot Kamper. MH purchased the 2.45-acre site at 17005 Emerald Coast Parkway for nearly $3 million in February 2018. A First National Bank building was torn down to make room for the storage facility.

Partners affiliated with self-storage construction company Rapid Building Solutions LLC are converting a former Kmart in Jacksonville, Fla., to storage. They’re investing about $7 million to purchase and renovate the property at 5751 Beach Blvd., according to Wayne Broderick, vice president of sales and operations. Broderick is developing the project with Rapid Building Managing Partners Francis Webster and Anthony Kostantinidis. Expected to open this summer, the facility will comprise 100,000 square feet of drive-through, climate-controlled storage with no external access. It’ll contain 800 units and be operated by a third-party management company. Storage Units Jacksonville LLC, led by Rapid, paid $3 million in January for the 108,341-square-foot building and two smaller properties on 8.16 acres at northwest Beach and University Boulevards. Morris Bank of Dublin, Ga., provided the $5.8 million mortgage.

S3 Storage Solution LLC, a family-owned self-storage development company, is building a 90,000-square-foot facility in Charlotte, N.C. The Storage Haven at 10023 Callabridge Court in the Mountain Island Lake area will comprise 610 climate-controlled and drive-up units as well as outdoor vehicle storage. Fourth Elm Construction LLC is the general contractor. The project is expected to be completed in June.

SAFStor Real Estate Co. LLC received unanimous approval to tear down a dilapidated office building in Levittown, Pa., and build a three-story self-storage facility in its place. The new 102,375-square-foot structure at 1723 S. Woodbourne Road will contain 800 climate-controlled units, according to Jim Bob McElroy, an engineer representing the developer. SAFStor plans to install an underground stormwater-management system and restore a landscape buffer at the rear of the 5.3-acre property. Construction will begin in May and be complete by June 2021.

SecureSpace Self Storage, which operates five facilities in California, Florida, New Jersey and New York, has converted a former Kmart store in Titusville, Fla. The facility at 810 Cheney Highway contains 75,000 square feet of climate-controlled space. Based in Redondo Beach, Calif., SecureSpace is owned by InSite Property Group LLC, a development and real estate firm.

Real estate developer Sunil Puri intends to convert a former Kmart in Rockford, Ill., to a Boxed Up Self-Storage facility. Puri purchased the property at 1321 Sandy Hollow Road, which has been vacant since April 2018, through Puri 2018 DYN Trust for $850,000. The project may also include one or two retail outlets. In addition to razing a former bank and auto repair shop, the developer will add lighting and make repairs to the parking area. Puri completed a similar mixed-use project for his first Boxed Up location in Loves Park, Ill. He’s founder and president of First Midwest Group, a Rockford-based real estate development firm that’s operated throughout the Midwest for more than 30 years.

StorageBlue opened a new facility at 170 River Drive in Garfield, N.J. The $6 million project, converted from a former macaroni factory, comprises more than 60,000 square feet in 650 units. Among the services to be offered is free curbside pickup of items to be stored. The new location is the operator’s fifth in New Jersey. The company was founded in 2015 by Alan Mruvka, who also founded of E! Entertainment Television.

U-Haul intends to expand its moving and truck-rental center at 1840 W. State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., by building a six-story self-storage facility on an abutting .88-acre parcel east of the complex. It’ll comprise about 800 units. The project is expected to be complete next year.

West Coast Self-Storage Group (WCSSG), which operates 64 facilities primarily in the Pacific Northwest, will open a new location this week in Carlsbad, Calif. The property at 2405 Cougar Drive comprises 60,178 rentable square feet in 692 units. It was developed by WCSSG and designed by Lake Forest, Calif.-based KSP Studio. Owned by NWB Carlsbad LLC, the property will be managed by WCSSG and branded under the West Coast Self Storage name. WCSSG is an acquisition, development and property-management company headquartered in Everett, Wash. Its portfolio of managed and owned properties includes 48 sites in Washington, eight in Oregon and eight in California.

Wilson Development Group is facing opposition in its quest to develop a three-story self-storage facility and carwash in Woodstock, Ga. Residents spoke against the project during Jan. 9 and Feb. 7 planning-commission meetings, claiming they’d prefer to see office space, restaurants or retail for the property near Downsby Lane and Fitchburg Drive. The commission tabled a vote for a conditional-use permit the first time, and then voted during the second meeting to kill a motion to approve the project following a two-hour discussion. The city council is expected to review the project today.

2/6/20 – 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 February 2020.

England-based moving and self-storage company Andrew Porter Ltd. completed a fourth-phase expansion of its facility in Kendal, England, adding 30 units and bringing its total to 110. The site opened in December 2018 with 27 units. The new spaces are already 15 percent rented, according to facility manager Stephen Gregson. Andrew Porter operates self-storage facilities in Adlington and Kendal, England, plus a storage warehouse in Northwest England.

Coleman Holdings LLC, an affiliate of Gramling Brothers Real Estate & Development, is seeking approval to build a three- or four-story facility in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Broadway Street Self Storage would front Coleman Boulevard and include ground-floor retail space. The town’s design board reviewed the developer’s preliminary plans last month. Based in Charleston, S.C., Gramling Brothers developers commercial and residential projects.

The Davis Group is developing a three-story facility in Naples, Fla., that’ll comprise 110,000 square feet of climate-controlled storage. The facility will be a part of Founders Square, a 55-acre mixed-use development on the southeast corner of Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road. The project is slated to be complete in summer 2021. Based in Atlanta, The Davis Group and its sister company, Alpharetta Construction, develop, construct and manage commercial developments.

ezStorage Corp. opened its second location in Fairfax, Va. The newly constructed facility at 3849 Pickett Road is the company’s 46th overall. Founded in 1988, ezStorage operates properties in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

After being denied a permit last fall to expand Gopher State Storage in East Bethel, Minn., the facility’s owners will have another chance to apply with a revised site plan. MN Built Harris LLC purchased the facility in March along with adjacent, undeveloped land on the southeast corner of Minnesota State Highway 65 and Sims Road. Plans for the first phase includes 215 units across three storage buildings east of the two existing storage structures. A smaller fourth building south of the existing office and five more buildings to the north would be built in later phases. Council members asked the developer to resolve issues with building setbacks and site access before submitting the proposal again. MN Built Harris is owned by John Henry and David Heil, CEO and founder of State Storage Group, which operates facilities in seven states.

Ormond Power Properties LLC received unanimous rezoning approval last month to develop a three-story facility in Ormond Beach, Fla. Plans for the 3.1-acre property at 263 S. Nova Road include a 94,921-square-foot building containing 780 units. The project will preserve 32 percent of the existing natural areas, including 35 trees, according to city officials. 

Land-developer Premier A-2 West Chester PA LLC intends to convert a former cold-storage and food-production facility in West Chester, Pa., to self-storage. The company recently acquired the property for $5 million from a partnership led by New York-based real estate firm New Mill Capital Holdings. The parcel at 700 Old Fern Hill Road comprises a 134,000-square-foot building and 10 acres. Built in 1975, the building was initially owned by H.J. Heinz Co. and used to produce Steak-umm, Tater Tots and other foods under the Ore-Ida brand. It most recently was used by Hain Celestial Group, an organic and natural-products company, which vacated the property in 2018. Premier A-2 is an affiliate of Premier Storage Investors of Memphis, Tenn., which specializes in self-storage acquisition and development opportunities in the top 40 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Quinlan Development Group LLC, a privately held real estate investment and development firm, is building a facility in Rochelle Park, N.J. The property at 174 Route 17 N. will comprise 1,034 climate-controlled and nine drive-up units as well as 75 climate-controlled lockers. Once complete, it’ll be managed by PS Advantage Inc., the third-party management affiliate of Public Storage, a self-storage real estate investment trust. The $13.35 million construction loan was secured through Bank OZK. It’s the second project the developer has financed with the lender. Founded in 1971 and based in New York City, Quinlan has built, renovated or invested in more than 37 properties totaling more than 2.5 million square feet of real estate in New York and New Jersey.

The Ravenna, Ohio, Planning Commission approved the expansion of Ravenna Self Storage onto a vacant 5-acre parcel next to the current facility at 950 N. Freedom St. Owner Harry Dennison recently purchased the land and intends to build one storage building on the parcel as well as relocate the facility’s parking. Additional buildings could be constructed in the future, as needed.

Real estate developer SAD Management LLC opened Pelham Road Self Storage in Greenville, S.C. The facility at 345 Pelham Road, less than half a mile from several apartment complexes, comprises 61,350 square feet in 687 units. It was constructed by Griffco Design/Build Inc. and will be operated by self-storage owner and property-management firm Absolute Storage Management (ASM). Founded in 2002, ASM operates more than 100 properties in 13 states.

StorageTown Inc. opened a new self-storage facility in Mandaue City, Philippines. The three-story facility on Anecito St., in the Cabancalan neighborhood, comprises more than 1,000 units ranging from 1.8 to 90 square meters. It features coded access and a smart-lighting system. The P250 million investment is the first business venture launched by siblings Chase, Chaz, Chanel and Chesna Cokaliong.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc., which operates more than 1,500 self-storage facilities across North America, is converting a former Kmart store in South Middleton Township, Penn. Expected to be complete this spring, U-Haul Moving & Storage of Walnut Bottom Road will comprise 65,000 square feet of climate-controlled space. The operator purchased the 33-acre lot at 1180 Walnut Bottom Road in July.

U-Haul also completed its conversion of a former auto dealership to storage in Middletown, Ohio. U-Haul Storage of North Verity Parkway at 2436 N. Verity Parkway is open 24/7. It contains 450 climate-controlled and drive-up units. U-Haul operates two other full-access facilities in the state, at 2335 Gilbert Ave. in Cincinnati and 360 S. Main St. in Dayton. Established in 1945, U-Haul operates more than 55 million square feet of storage space in North America.

Ultra Storage opened in Ventura, Calif. The facility at 2701 Golf Course Drive comprises more than 72,000 net rentable square feet in 480 units. Owned by Brian Harvey, it’ll be managed by Universal Storage Group, an Atlanta-based consulting and management firm.

The William Warren Group (WWG), a privately held real estate company that operates the StorQuest Self Storage brand, opened a new facility in Sacramento, Calif. The property at 2415 3rd St. is near the interchange of Interstates 5 and 80 in the Broadway District downtown. Founded in 1994 and based in Santa Monica, Calif., WWG acquires, develops and operates more than 165 self-storage facilities in 14 states.

New Sources:
Daily Independent, QC Self Storage Rezoning, Permit Before Council Feb. 5
Clarence Bee, Self-Storage Facility at Corner of Goodrich/County Roads Gets Aesthetic Facelift
Birmingham Business Journal, Self-Storage Facility Planned for Vacant Homewood Property
Bucks County Courier Times, Self-Storage Facility OK’d on Woodbourne Road in Middletown
Levittown Now, 100,000-Square-Foot Self-Storage Facility Approved for Woodbourne Road
PR Newswire, SecureSpace Announces Grand Opening of a New Self Storage Facility in Titusville, FL
NWF Daily News, Destin to Get New Light, Storage Facility
Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News, Planning Commission Rejects Car Wash and Self Storage on Highway 92
Jacksonville Daily Record, Beach Boulevard Kmart to Become Drive-Thru Self-Storage Facility
Press & News, St. Michael Votes 4-1 to Oppose Mini Storage Concept
Daily Record, Morris County: These Projects Are Under Construction in 2020
Main Street Nashville, A+ Storage of Tennessee Selects Conseco Group to Build Facilities in Murfreesboro, Spring Hill
Patch, West Coast Self-Storage to Open New Location in Carlsbad
PR Newswire, 800 Self-Storage Rooms Coming to U-Haul at I-95 & State Road 84
REBusiness Online, StorageBlue Opens 650-Unit Self-Storage Facility in Garfield, New Jersey
RRStar.com, Developer Sunil Puri Buys Former Kmart on Sandy Hollow in Rockford
Sunnyside Post, Community Board Rejects Home Depot’s Plan That Aims to Bring Giant Store and Storage Facility to Maspeth

Previous Sources:
ABC Newspapers, East Bethel Reconsidering Self-Storage Expansion Request
Hometown News, Storage Facility Chosen for Site as Lesser of Evils
Journal-News, U-Haul Expands Self-Storage Space in Middletown With 450 More Units
Naples Daily News, Groundbreaking of Founders Square, a 55-acre Mixed-Use Development is Announced
Ormond Beach Observer, Nova Road storage facility gets five yeses from Ormond Beach City Commission
Philadelphia Business Journal, West Chester Building on 10 Acres Sold, Goes From Cold Storage to Self-Storage
PR.com, New Management for Newly Built Storage Facility
PR Newswire, ezStorage Opens New Fairfax, VA Storage Facility
PRWeb, StorQuest Opens Modern Self Storage Facility in Downtown Sacramento, CA
Record-Courier, Two Ravenna Companies Will Expand
The Post and Courier, Storing Stuff
The Sentinel, Where it Stands: U-Haul Expects To Open Walnut Bottom Road Self-Storage Facility this Spring
The Westmorland Gazette, More Expansion for Andrew Porter Self Storage
Yahoo News, State-of-the-Art Storage Facility Opens in Mandaue

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