August 31, 2021

24 Min Read
Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: January 2020

Update 8/31/21 – The joint venture between real estate development firms Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG) and The Hampshire Cos. has broken ground on its self-storage project in Roslyn Heights, New York. The facility at 71 Jane St. will comprise 98,326 square feet in 691 units. The partners will fully remediate the brownfield site. The project is expected to be complete during the second quarter next year. It’ll be managed by real estate investment trust Extra Space Storage Inc. and branded under its name. It’ll be the 44th Extra Space location Hampshire has developed on the East Coast. BDG is a real estate development firm. Its portfolio includes entertainment-based retail, multi-tenant office, medical office, industrial and multi-family residential. Based in Morristown, New Jersey, Hampshire has four other self-storage projects underway across New Jersey and New York.

3/12/20Alexa Development exercised its right to a rehearing from the planning and zoning commission by submitting a new proposal that would reserve 15,000 square feet of the former Kroger market for a grocery store. The plan eliminates 52 units from the left-front corner of the building. If a grocery tenant can’t be secured within three years, Alexa would then request to convert the space to self-storage. The commission is expected to review the new proposal at its March 23 meeting. If it approves the plan, a new project hearing will be scheduled.

3/4/20 – The Roseville Mayor and city-council members criticized Curtis’ appearance last week, characterizing it as a “publicity stunt.” During the public hearing, Curtis urged the council to halt the sale of the church, pledging that she and her staff would devote time and energy to save the property. She called the planned demolition a “temporary solution” and encouraged officials to establish a historic district. “I believe every small city needs sustainability, and the way you reach sustainability is knowing where your roots are and having your historic districts,” she said.

Curtis was followed by several community members who spoke in favor of saving the property. After about an hour, the HGTV star re-approached the microphone, but the mayor ruled her out of order because public-hearing rules dictate that citizens have only one opportunity with a three-minute limit to address the council. Though some residents wanted to yield their time to Curtis, Tomlinson said that wasn’t allowed.

When Roseville Deputy Police Chief Mitchell Berlin approached Curtis, motioning for her to step away from the microphone area, she left the meeting. As she walked out, accompanied by Berlin, members of the audience applauded. Police Chief Ryan Monroe later clarified that Curtis wasn’t asked to leave the meeting and wasn’t formally escorted out of the building.

Mayor Robert Taylor and councilmember Charles Frontera called Curtis’ appearance a ruse. “She never went inside the [church] building,” Taylor said, referring to Curtis’ visit to the property. “She doesn't have the $2 million to renovate it. She’s all talk and no action. She doesn't live in Roseville. We talk the truth in Roseville.”

“The person riling everyone up is looking for Facebook followers, and that's all this is,” Frontera added. “The fact that someone from HGTV comes here for a publicity stunt is ridiculous.”

2/26/20 – Nicole Curtis, star of HGTV’s “Rehab Addict,” will attend the Roseville City Council meeting this week to change officials’ minds about demolishing the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Though the council approved the rezoning of the property, MySpace Self Storage isn’t expected to close on the acquisition until general parameters are finalized, city attorney Tim Tomlinson told the source. Curtis, whose show focuses on restoring historic homes, visited the 50,000-square-foot church earlier this month at the invitation of residents. She’s now involved as a “solution seeker,” acting as a liaison between community members and city officials, a representative for Curtis told the source.

“There is no reason for demo,” the unidentified representative wrote in an e-mail. “This building is strong, solid, and there are thousands of examples of such being given new life throughout the area through mix use. The city could have easily said church and rectory must stay standing, [and] the rest can be developed.”

The church is controlled by Mooney Real Estate Holdings, the real estate arm of the Archdiocese of Detroit. It closed in 2017.

2/3/20 – The Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3-1 to deny Alexa Development’s plan to convert the former Kroger store on Pio Nono Avenue to self-storage. Company officials indicated they were “shocked” at the board’s decision. Though some residents would prefer another supermarket, Alexa officials don’t think the idea is viable. The Kroger closed after 21 years due to declining profits, according to the source.

The Urban Development Authority is considering relocating the state farmer’s market to the site, the source reported.

1/24/20 – 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 January 2020.

Adams Property Group, which owns nine self-storage facilities in the Carolinas and Georgia, is developing a new location in Winston-Salem, N.C. The three-story facility at 5109 Robinhood Village will comprise 97,000 square feet of climate-controlled storage. The project is expected to take about a year to complete, according to Michael Carn, acquisitions and development manager. Fourth Elm Construction LLC is the general contractor. Adams Property operates Breezy Hill Self Storage, B&H Self Storage and seven facilities under the Monster Self Storage brand. It also has four projects under development.

Alexa Development Group is facing opposition in its quest to convert a Macon, Ga., Kroger grocery store to self-storage. Several neighbors spoke out during a county planning-commission meeting earlier this month on the proposed project for 400 Pio Nono Ave. Plans include adding 569 units inside the 84,000-square-foot building. Opponents had hoped another grocer would open in the building, but city officials claim no one has shown interest in the site since it was listed two years ago. Planning and zoning staff have also determined storage doesn’t fit the Macon-Bibb County 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The commission voted to defer the proposal for two weeks, allowing Axela to consider adding an outparcel retail store to the project to address community and city staff concerns.

Anytime Storage, which operates 11 properties in Arizona, is building a three-story self-storage facility in Mobile, Ala., that’ll contain 466 climate-controlled units. The $4 million construction loan was arranged by Duke Dennis, senior director for Metropolitan Capital Advisors. The loan offers a fixed 5.05 percent interest rate and 36 months of interest-only payments followed by a 20-year amortization schedule. Once complete, the Anytime portfolio will contain more than 3,700 units across the two states.

CAES Group LLC presented a site-plan application to the Gloversville, N.Y., planning board to convert the former St. Thomas Leather manufacturing building at 12 St. Thomas Place into a mixed-use project that’ll include commercial, office, retail, self-storage and warehouse space. CAES owners Adam Bido and Andrew Weigle purchased the 1.4-acre property in September. Climate-controlled self-storage will be built on the third and fourth floors of the 74,000-square-foot building. The owners plan to move one of their existing businesses, GoodbuyZ Liquidation Outlets, to the second floor, and add warehouse space on the first. The remaining space will be converted to commercial, office and retail suites according to the needs of incoming tenants. Though the planning board didn’t have concerns about the project, it tabled the vote until its Feb. 4 meeting so the developer could complete a Short Environmental Assessment Form as part of the State Environmental Review Process. Bido and Weigle own another liquidation outlet and a local remediation company.

Compson Development Corp. intends to build a three-story self-storage facility on a vacant property in Coral Springs, Fla. If approved, the development at 3567 N.W. 124th Ave. would comprise 103,275 square feet. The 2.18-acre site is under contract from the George C. Zima Trust. The storage facility was designed by ARCO/Murray Design Build, a national design-build general contractor. Compson is based in Boca Raton, Fla.

Self-storage real estate investment trust and third-party management firm CubeSmart is converting a former Sam’s Club retail store in Syracuse, N.Y., to self-storage. Construction work at the Erie Boulevard site is underway, though no completion date was reported. The store has been vacant for two years. CubeSmart owns or manages 1,165 self-storage facilities across the United States. Its operating portfolio comprises 78.8 million square feet.

MySpace Self Storage will build a mixed-use project on the site of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Roseville, Mich. The $9 million development will include a 116,700-square-foot storage facility at the corner of Gratiot Avenue and Utica Road. It’ll also feature a 7,000-square-foot retail center and/or restaurant that includes a rooftop “garden.” The project was designed to help create a downtown area, according to Todd Clark, president.

The city council unanimously approved a conditional rezoning of the property to allow the project. Though the historical church will be demolished, MySpace intends to preserve the structure’s bell tower. If it can’t be saved, a replica will be built. An existing historical marker will be relocated. Due to the timing of building permits and other approvals, the church, which fell into disrepair, won’t likely be razed until later this year or early 2021. MySpace operates four facilities in Michigan.

Robert High Development LLC, which owns eight Save Green Self Storage facilities in North Carolina, received approval this month to build a four-story site in Boone, N.C. The property at the intersection of East King Street and New Market Boulevard formerly housed Modern Toyota of Boone. Plans include a 134,852-square-foot structure containing 990 storage units at a cost of $7.5 million. The final approval came with conditions such as incorporating recommendations by town staff, a traffic-impact analysis and a culvert analysis. Based in Wilmington, N.C., Robert High Development provides self-storage budget creation, site plans, permitting and construction. It also owns Budget Storage in Wilmington.

Shurgard intends to build its sixth self-storage facility in Berlin. The property will comprise 5,700 square meters in about 1,000 units. The project is scheduled to be complete next year. The company recently signed a purchase agreement for the land and expects a building permit to be issued this year.

St. Joe Co., a real estate development, asset management and operation firm, is entering the self-storage market with the development of a facility in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. The property in the South Walton Commerce Park is near the corner of Serenoa Road and US Highway 98. Plans include building 90,000 square feet in more than 600 units. Construction will begin this spring and be complete within a year. With its consolidated subsidiaries, St. Joe Co. owns land primarily in Northwest Florida, and has residential and commercial land-use entitlements in hand or in process.

Investment firm Staley Point Capital intends to demolish a 21,000-square-foot light-industrial complex it recently acquired in South Los Angeles and replace it with a new self-storage development. The facility at Broadway and W. 25th Street would comprise 109,000 square feet. The company paid $7.35 million for the site, which is in a federal Opportunity Zone. The Los Angeles-based investment firm was recently founded by Kevin Staley, who co-founded the Magellan Group, and his son, Eric. Founded in 1990, Magellan is a real estate investment and development firm that operates the Magellan Storage brand.

Storage World opened a new, 68,000-square-foot self-storage facility in Manchester, England. The £3 million project is part of Airport City Manchester, a mixed-use project near the city’s airport that’ll include 5 million square feet of hotels, logistics, manufacturing space and offices. In addition to about 500 storage units, the new facility offers workspace for individuals and businesses, with room to expand. It’s the company’s third location.

StorCo Storage Solutions will convert a portion of the recently acquired O’Fallon Square Shopping Center in O’Fallon, Mo., to self-storage. The company intends to occupy one of the center’s two freestanding buildings. The project will include 53,737 square feet of storage in the former Attitude Trampoline Park and Shop N Save, along with an added second floor. StorCo also plans to move its company headquarters, including a call center and offices, to the 7-acre property. Eight existing tenants in the other freestanding building will remain. StorCo acquired the parcel in December for $4.4 million. The company operates another location in Wood River, Ill., and is an affiliate of Store Here Self Storage, which operates 25 facilities in 15 states.

StorHouse Self Storage will convert the former Parkway Lanes bowling alley in Allentown, Pa., to self-storage. Company affiliate StorHouse at Paxton Street LP acquired the 5.5-acre property at 1630 S. 12th St. in December for $1.96 million from Abe Atiyeh’s Parkway Ventures LLC. It also purchased a neighboring auto-repair shop at 1449 Lehigh St., which will house company offices this spring. Construction work on the self-storage facility is expected to begin once existing bowling equipment has been removed. StorHouse operates four facilities in Pennsylvania.

Westport Properties Inc. (WPI), which operates more than 120 self-storage facilities under the US Storage Centers brand, is developing a new location in Los Angeles. The $10 million project at 4800 E. Valley Blvd. has received permits to commence construction. Once complete, the three-story building will comprise 151,000 square feet. Founded in 1985 and based in Irvine, Calif., WPI is a real estate investment company that acquires, develops and operates self-storage facilities, and provides third-party management services. Its portfolio comprises more than 9 million rentable square feet in 15 states.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc., which operates more than 1,500 self-storage facilities across North America and frequently recycles existing structures for its new locations, intends to convert former Kmart stores into moving and self-storage centers in Carlisle, Pa., and Lansing, Mich. The Carlisle property at 1180 Walnut Bottom Road will comprise about 65,000 square feet of storage space. The company is currently offering truck and trailer rentals, towing equipment and moving supplies out of a temporary showroom. The self-storage conversion is expected to be complete this spring.

The 119,791-square-foot structure at 5400 Cedar St. in Lansing will comprise about 800 storage units. The project will include a bike-path connector and rest area that will offer free tools and benches for riders to service their bicycles. Built in 1970, the store has been empty since 2017. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 62.5 million square feet of storage space nationwide.

An unnamed developer is looking to add storage buildings on the parking lot in front of a Fort Wayne, Ind., Extra Space Storage facility. The structure at 7530 S. Anthony Blvd. was once a Kmart store. The plans presented at the Jan. 13 Fort Wayne Plan Commission meeting showed the construction of eight new buildings comprising 57,000 square feet in 371 drive-up units. The commission is expected to vote on the project on Jan. 27.

1/9/20 – 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 January 2020.

10X Self Storage, which operates a facility in Acton, Mass., opened a second location in the state. The five-story facility at 215 Simarano Drive in Marlborough contains 520 units. It’ll be operated by O’Brien Commercial Properties LLC, a real estate management firm affiliated with O’Brien Commercial Properties Inc. The three-acre site was assessed by the city last year for $372,300, according to a source. 10X is also converting a 120-year-old brick building in Worcester, Mass., to self-storage. Expected to open in the spring, the three-story facility at 40 Pullman St. will contain 620 units. O'Brien purchased the building through a limited liability corporation in August for more than $1 million, and obtained a $5.4 million construction loan.

Real estate investment and development firm Aspen Equities LLC is converting a 350,000-square-foot structure in Philadelphia to self-storage. The project in the Northern Liberties neighborhood is expected to be complete this fall. The property will be managed by real estate investment trust and third-party management firm Extra Space Storage Inc. Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Aspen specializes in mixed-use, multi-family and retail projects throughout the Northeast.

Real estate development firm Blumenfeld Development Group Ltd. (BDG) received approval last month from the North Hempstead Town Board to tear down a dilapidated building on contaminated property in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., and build a four-story, 98,000-square-foot self-storage facility in its place. The single-story structure at 71 Jane St., where industrial products were manufactured, was built in 1949 and last occupied in 2013. The property is considered a brownfield site, an abandoned property that may contain hazardous substances. It was accepted by the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program in August. Based in Syosset, N.Y., BDG’s portfolio includes entertainment-based retail, multi-tenant office, medical office, industrial and multi-family residential.

Compass Self Storage, a member of the Amsdell family of companies, recently acquired and received permission to expand Shaler Self Storage in Allison Park, Pa. The board of commissioners approved the addition of three buildings at 422 Elfinwild Road, including an 18,500-square-foot, climate-controlled building and two 5,000-square-foot, drive-up storage structures. The facility currently comprises a single-story, 25,000-square-foot building. Compass operates 89 facilities in 14 states.

Equity Storage will build a mixed-use development in Rogers, Ark., that’ll include self-storage and a business/conference center. The two-story, 73,000-square-foot project will be built on 5.7 acres at 3909 W. Ajax Ave. and comprise 200 units. It’ll include drive-in interior access for loading and unloading. The adjoining J. Conrad Business Center will comprise 16,000 square feet. Property owner Wil-Shar Steel acquired the land last year for $1.35 million. This will be Equity’s first self-storage location.

Property owner Timothy James intends to build a self-storage facility on a former horse farm in Lake County, Ill., near Wauconda. The Store More business would be developed on the southern portion of the 23-acre site at 25250 W. Old Rand Road. The zoning board of appeals recently voted to recommend the project, which would require a conditional-use permit for the business and rezoning of the property from residential to general commercial. James recently told zoning officials he’ll leave more than 60 percent of the land as open space. Site restoration would include removing invasive plant species and dead trees and replacing them with new foliage. The site also includes a vacant house and other buildings in disrepair. The county board will make a decision on the project after a review by the public works, planning and transportation committee.

Lock Stock Self-Storage, which operates 18 container-based self-storage facilities in Wales, opened a new facility this month in Caernarfon, Wales. The 1.1-acre site at the Cibyn Industrial Estate contains 150 containers. Lock Stock is family-operated and owns 3,000 storage containers. Based in Denbigh, its properties are spread throughout 12 North Wales cities.

U.K. self-storage operator Lok'nStore Group PLC will partner with discount grocer Lidl on a mixed-use project in Cheshunt, England. The development, which will include self-storage and a supermarket, is expected to be complete next year. It’s the second project between the two companies, which opened a similar mixed-use site in Maidenhead, England, in 2013. Lok'nStore also recently secured development sites in Chester and Oldbury, England. The operator has 15 sites in its project pipeline. Founded in 1995, it operates 34 self-storage facilities in Southern England.

Mitchell Storage LLC is converting the former Palace Mall in Mitchell, S.D., to a mixed-use project that’ll include traditional self-storage, vehicle storage and retail. An estimated 500 storage units will be added to the 151,044-square-foot building at 1801 N. Main St. Tenants currently renting spaces in the mall will have the option to remain or relocate elsewhere in the property, according to architect Larry Jirsa. Unoccupied stores will be renovated and marketed to new tenants. Mitchell Storage is owned by Mark Bigelow, Steven Bigelow and Roman Daniels-Brown.

Montgomery Self Storage completed an expansion of its property at 1418 FM 2854 Road in Conroe, Texas. The project added 42,000 net rentable square feet, including a three-story climate-controlled structure and three single-story buildings. The expansion coincided with a state project that widened the road from two to four lanes. Montgomery operates two facilities in Conroe and four total in Texas.

Safstor Real Estate intends to build a three-story self-storage facility in Middletown, Pa. The Woodbourne Road project would replace an office building, which has been vacant for several years. The new structure would comprise 102,000 square feet. The project has already received variances from the zoning hearing board and recommended approval from the planning commission. Town supervisors are expected to consider the plan on Jan. 21.

Secure Storage LLC is converting the former Columbia County Health and Human Services building in Portage, Wis., to a mixed-use property that’ll include climate-controlled self-storage, outdoor vehicle storage and leased office space. The company purchased the building at 2652 Murphy Road from the county in December for $250,000. Based in Baraboo, Wis., it operates eight facilities in the state, with one under development.

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 London. The project will comprise 85,000 square feet in about 1,500 units and is expected to be complete by mid-2021. The company recently signed a purchase agreement to acquire the land. Shurgard operates 238 self-storage facilities comprising 1.2 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The Joplin, Mo., City Council voted 7-1 against a rezoning request from Joel Standeford that would have allowed a self-storage development. Standeford proposed to build a 100-unit facility near the intersection of 19th Street and Michigan Avenue on the site where a church was destroyed by a 2011 tornado. The project would have required zoning on the lot to change from residential to light commercial. It was strongly opposed by residents. Though only one person spoke in opposition during the council meeting, neighbors submitted a petition against the application and seven residents wrote letters arguing against the proposal.

Storage Authority LLC opened a new franchisee-owned facility at 550 Monmouth Road in Millstone, N.J. The facility will comprise 83,375 square feet once all phases are complete. The company now operates five facilities in Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey and Texas. It has a sixth location under construction in Land O’Lakes, Fla., which is expected to open this summer. Storage Authority plans to award a new franchise each month this year, according to a press release.

An unnamed developer is seeking approval to convert a former Kroger grocery store in Macon, Ga., to self-storage. Plans for the 84,000-square-foot space on Pio Nono Avenue were submitted to the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning board on Dec. 12. If approved, the facility will contain 569 climate-controlled units.

New Source:
The Telegraph, New Plan for Old Kroger on Pio Nono in Macon Still Includes Storage Units

Previous Sources:
Macomb Daily, Roseville Mayor Blasts HGTV Star’s Church Efforts as ‘Publicity Stunt’
Macomb Daily, HGTV Host Says ‘No Reason’ for Roseville Church Demolition
13WMAZ, 'We Have to Go Too Far': Neighbors React to Bibb Planning and Zoning Decision to Deny Storage Center Plans
AP, The St. Joe Company Announces Plans to Build and Own a Self-Storage Facility in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Great Fort Wayne Business Weekly, Storage Units Planned for Former Kmart Parking Lot in Fort Wayne
Inside Media Limited, Storage Facility Opens at Airport City
LocalSYR.com, CubeSmart Self Storage to Take Over Old Sam’s Club Building on Erie Boulevard
Macomb Daily, Roseville Church to Be Demolished for Self-Storage Facility
RE Journals, StorCo Buys 100,000-Square-Foot Shopping Center in O'Fallon
REBusiness Online, Metropolitan Capital Advisors Arranges $4M Construction Loan for Self-Storage Facility in Mobile
South Florida Business Journal, Developer Proposes 3-Story Self-Storage Facility in Broward
The Eastsider, Self-Storage Center Coming to El Sereno
The Leader-Herald, Plans to Convert Gloversville Warehouse Into Multi-Use Facility
The Morning Call, Another Bowling Alley Strikes Out: Former Parkway Lanes in Allentown Is Sold to Self-Storage Business
The Real Deal, New Venture Staley Point Capital Plans Self-Storage Facility in LA Opportunity Zone
The Telegraph, City Makes Decision After North Macon Neighbors Speak Out About Storage Units at Old Kroger Site
The Times Herald, Adaptive Reuse: U-Haul Reveals Plans for Former Kmart in Carlisle
Triad Business Journal, Charleston-Based Company to Open its First Storage Facility in the Triad
Watauga Democrat, Board OKs $7.5M Self-Storage Facility in Boone
WILX, Old K-Mart to Become New U-Haul Center
13WMAZ, 569-Unit Storage Center Could Take Over Former Pio Nono Kroger Location
Boston Real Estate Times, 10X Self Storage Opens Climate-Controlled Facility
Bucks County Courier Times, Self-Storage Proposed for Dormant Site on Woodbourne Road in Middletown
Community Impact Newspaper, Montgomery Self Storage Expands Services in Conroe
Daily Herald, Entrepreneur Proposes Self-Storage Facility Near Wauconda
Insider Media Limited, Lok’nStore Strikes Lidl Deal and Bolsters Pipeline
Newsday, New Use Proposed for Contaminated Site in Roslyn Heights
Portage Daily Register, Secure Storage LLC Opening Self Storage Units, Leasing Office Space in Portage
Shaler Journal, National Company Acquires Shaler Self Storage
TB&P, Real Deals: LA Investor Spends $8.3 Million on Springdale Building
The Daily Republic, Palace Mall Transformation to Self-Storage Units to Begin Soon
The Free Press, Denbigh Container Storage Firm Expands Amid Boom in Demand
The Joplin Globe, Zoning Request for Mini-Storage Business Denied by Joplin City Council
The Island Now, Site Plan Approved for Brownfield to House Self-Storage
WBJ Journal, Marlborough 520-Unit Self-Storage Facility Opens

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