June 24, 2022

17 Min Read
Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: May 2022

Update 6/24/22 – The Westfield Planning Board this week approved the site plan from Geeleher Enterprises Inc. for its self-storage development on North Road. Before voting on June 21, the board asked the developer how the business will prevent hazardous materials from being stored on the property. The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) expressed concern during last month’s board meeting about customers storing fuel, pool chemicals or other harmful substances that could leak from units or catch fire. Owner Ryan Geeleher assured board members that the lease will restrict storage of these items, and he’ll investigate it if he suspects a violation. The board then approved the plan with a 6-1 vote. The project still needs approval from MACC, which is expected to discuss it on June 28.

5/26/22 – 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 May 2022.

1784 Capital Holdings LLC is developing a six-story facility on 7 acres at 94 Old Mill Bottom Road in Annapolis, Maryland. Once complete, Annapolis Self Storage will comprise 71,360 net rentable square feet in 751 climate-controlled units. It’ll include two levels below ground. 1784 owns 21 self-storage properties and nearly 2.6 million square feet in four states.

Adams Property Group LLC completed construction on Monster Self Storage in Valdosta, Georgia. The facility at 3833 Inner Perimeter Road will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 2. Built by affiliate A.L. Adams Construction Co., the site includes boat and RV storage as well as an Amazon Hub. Adams manages a self-storage portfolio comprising about 2 million square feet. Its properties include about 20 Monster Self Storage and Your Storage Units facilities in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Arcland Property Co. opened a newly constructed self-storage facility on about 4 acres in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The three-story structure at 16109 Queens Court comprises 89,338 square feet in 942 units and vehicle-storage spaces. It’ll be branded and managed by Self Storage Plus, which operates 57 facilities in Maryland, the Virginias and Washington, D.C. Based in Washington, D.C., Arcland is a real estate development and investment firm specializing in self-storage in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Away Cheltenham Ltd. intends to convert a former Toys R Us store in Basildon, England, into a StoreAway self-storage facility. The developer recently received approval for a change of business use. Vacant for about four years, the store is inside a larger building that also contains a Sports Direct outlet and is connected to a multi-story parking garage. The other businesses won’t be affected by the new development. StoreAway launched this year in England with plans to build and open 10 to 15 facilities in the next three to five years.

Cooper Cos. Inc. is constructing a three-story self-storage building in Flagstaff, Arizona. Expected to be complete in early 2023, the facility at 1683 W. Route 66 will comprise 104,672 square feet and be branded as Armour Self Storage or Extra Space Storage. The general contractor is TLW Construction Inc. RKAA Architects Inc. is providing the design, with SWI Engineering offering civil engineering. Founded in 1978 and based in Arizona, Cooper develops, owns and operates self-storage, office and industrial properties in Arizona, Texas and Wisconsin.

Cranbury Self Storage LLC is seeking approval to build a facility on a vacant 9.36-acre property in Cranbury, New Jersey. Plans for the site at 116 S. Main St. include two single-story structures comprising 5,250 square feet and 4,600 square feet, respectively, and a three-story building totaling 32,000 square feet. The planning board will review the proposal on June 2.

Diamond RV & Heated Storage opened in Elma, Washington. The facility at 60 Schouweiler Tract Road W. offers traditional self-storage and vehicle storage. The property is co-owned by Tim Martin and managed by West Coast Self Storage Group, which operates facilities in five states.

A partnership between affiliates of The Hampshire Real Estate Cos. and MCB Real Estate LLC are developing a 348,185-square-foot mixed-use project in Drexell, Pennsylvania, that’ll include a 120,000-square-foot self-storage facility. The 18.5-acre Drexeline Town Center at 5100 State Road will also contain a bank, retail stores and a ShopRite supermarket. Based in Baltimore, MCB is a privately held commercial real estate investment firm. Hampshire is a real estate firm and investment-fund manager with interests in industrial, multi-family and self-storage.

Hube Group LLC received approval to build a self-storage facility off U.S. Route 33 in Rockingham, Virginia. Plans include a two-story, 38,900-square-foot building, and four 2,500-square-foot structures. It’ll also contain 22 covered vehicle-storage spaces. Hube Group is based in Windermere, Florida.

K-Land Corp. intends to develop a self-storage facility on 2.6 acres in Howell, New Jersey. The three-story facility on Route 9 South at Sunnyside Road will comprise 78,016 rentable square feet in 545 units. It’ll be operated and branded by real estate investment trust (REIT) Extra Space Storage Inc. The project requires a land-use variance as well as exceptions for a residential buffer, signage and stormwater management. K-Land will also have to clear 1.8 acres of trees on site.

Katy Ranch Storage opened in Katy, Texas. The facility at 24984 Katy Ranch Road is managed by Houston-based Right Move Storage LLC. Founded in 2013, the company operates more than 40 self-storage facilities in California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Texas.

Self-storage REIT Life Storage Inc. opened in Mequon, Wisconsin. The 702-unit facility at 10448 N. Port Washington Road was converted from a vacant industrial building. Based in Buffalo, New York, the company operates more than 1,100 self-storage facilities in 36 states. Its portfolio of owned and managed facilities comprises more than 81 million square feet.

Look Self Storage is converting the former Zap Zone indoor amusement park in Lansing, Michigan, to self-storage. Plans for the property at 936 Mall Drive E. include 120,000 square feet in 1,000 units and outdoor vehicle storage. Construction is expected to begin this summer. Look Self Storage operates two facilities in Highland and South Lyon, Michigan.

Menards, a Wisconsin-based home-improvement chain that also builds and operates self-storage, intends to develop storage units adjacent to its store at 6600 N. Brady St. in Davenport, Iowa, but local officials are opposed to the plan. The planning and zoning commission unanimously voted against recommending the project, which would require a zoning change from multi-family residential to light industrial on the grassy area southwest of the retail outlet. Because the 4.48-acre property is flanked by residential and commercial uses, adding a light-industrial designation to a small section would amount to spot zoning, according to a city-staff report. Staff recommended Menards instead build north of the store, where the storage units could abut an industrial area; but the retailer told officials that plan wouldn’t work due to the site’s topography. At this point, the zoning change would require an eight-vote supermajority of the 10-member city council to advance. Menards operates nine storage facilities in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Metro Storage LLC, which operates the Metro Self Storage brand, is developing a facility in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Plans for the vacant parcel at 3501 Route U.S. 9 include a three-story building comprising 86,620 rentable square feet in 845 units. Metro is a privately owned, international company specializing in storage acquisition, construction, development and management. It operates more than 85 facilities in 12 states.

MHS 98 LLC received approval for a zoning change and conditional-use permit for its self-storage development in Murrieta, California. The three-story facility at the southeast corner of Date and Delhaven Streets will comprise 135,971 square feet. The 3-acre project includes a 56-foot-wide driveway that’ll be shared with residents of a neighboring apartment project under construction. Based in Temecula, California, MHS is a development firm operated by managing partner Steve Galvez.

The Birmingham, Alabama, City Council denied a zoning-change request from developer Whit Mitchell, who intended to convert a former Internal Revenue Service complex into self-storage. The project at 801 Tom Martin Drive would have offered 166 units for boat and RV storage as well as a wash bay. A change from a mixed-use district to qualified light manufacturing was required. Residents opposed the project based on the number of self-storage facilities already in the area as well as traffic concerns. Mitchell is co-owner of Alabama-based New Latitude Moving and Storage, which offers moving and warehouse-storage services.

Nuvo Development intends to build a self-storage facility on the 1.5-acre site of the former Lil 500 Go-Karts attraction in Maitland, Florida. The three-story structure at 150 Atlantic Drive would comprise 91,799 square feet. The project requires a land-use amendment as well as a zoning change to a planned-development district to allow for the proposed 45-foot height of the building. The go-kart track was in operation from 1968 until January. Founded in 2014, Nuvo Development is an affiliate of Winter Park, Florida-based The Nuvo Co. LLC. It offers architecture, development and engineering services to the self-storage industry.

Secure Storage is developing a facility on a portion of the former Melody Fair property in North Tonawanda, New York. Expected to open this fall on 6 acres at Niagara Falls and Erie Boulevards, it’ll contain four buildings comprising 100,000 square feet in 687 units. The business is owned by Jack and Maritza B. Ruh, who operate a Secure Storage in Buffalo, New York.

The Store Room, which operates seven locations in England, is seeking approval to build a new facility at the Peterborough One Retail Park in Peterborough, England. Plans include 80,000 square feet of storage and workspace. If approved, the site will open next year.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. intends to develop a self-storage location on 5 acres it recently acquired in Cartersville, Georgia. The facility at 1411 Joe Frank Harris Parkway S.E. will comprise more than 90,000 square feet in about 700 units. It would also include a separate warehouse for portable-storage containers. The project is expected to be complete by June 2024. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 73.6 million square feet of storage space in North America.

Urban Self Storage Inc. is seeking permission to add four buildings to its Nalley Valley Self Storage facility in Tacoma, Washington. The expansion at 2201 S. Tacoma Way includes 55,000 square feet and will connect to the existing structure. The site opened in 1988. Founded in 1987, Seattle-based Urban operates 60 locations in Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.

W.C. Eshenour & Son Inc., an HVAC, heating oil and propane-delivery company, intends to develop a Wally’s Storage Center next to its existing business at 326 S. Main St. in Marysville, Pennsylvania. Intended to comprise three storage buildings on about 5 acres, the project was recommended for approval with conditions by the planning commission in January. Some nearby residents have objected to the plan, expressing concerns about traffic, lighting and noise. The developer indicated it’s open to lighting and screening conditions to help shield the site from neighbors. Due to extensions filed for variances and other planning matters, the city council may not vote on the project until August.

5/13/22 – 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 May 2022.

Geeleher Enterprises Inc., a site contractor and heavy-equipment excavation company, is seeking zoning approval and a special-use permit to build a self-storage facility in Westfield, Massachusetts. The project would contain four buildings comprising 35,800 square feet on North Road, near Southampton Road. It would be built on 1.6 acres of a 19.5-acre wooded parcel, of which 6.5 acres are considered wetlands. Some residents oppose the project, claiming the land is protected by the water-resource district zoning, which prohibits self-storage. The proposal was discussed during a May 2 public hearing. It’ll also need approval from the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions.

Highland Development Ventures LLC is building a self-storage facility in Manahawkin, New York. The property at 465 S. Main St. will comprise 88,275 rentable square feet in 868 units. Once complete, it’ll be managed by self-storage real estate investment trust Extra Space Storage Inc. and branded under its name. Originally expected to open in late 2021, the project was hindered by supply-chain delays for materials and equipment. It’s now slated to open this month. Highland offers real estate development, engineering, investment and management services.

Peak Management LLC intends to develop a YourSpace Storage facility in Milton, Delaware. The three-story project along Route 16 near Union Street Extended will require a special-use permit. During a concept-review meeting with planners, officials expressed concerns about buffering between the storage facility and neighboring properties as well as how much parking would be required. One estimate projected 250 required parking spaces when the structure was compared to a warehouse, but town solicitor Seth Thompson indicated the commission could determine their own figure based on the number of employees and size of the storage units. Based in Nottingham, Md., Peak is a full-service property-management company that specializes in the development, construction, management and ownership of multi-family and self-storage properties. YourSpace operates nine locations in Maryland.

The Upson County, Georgia, Planning Commission approved a zoning request from Linda Riggins for a 7.88-acre property on Knight Trail. Riggins purchased the site, which extends from State Route 74 to Trice Road, in October. Plans include the construction of two self-storage structures.

Roberts & Hatchett Investments is developing a single-story self-storage facility in Longview, Texas, on the 3-acre site that once housed the American Dream Inn, which was demolished in 2019. Construction on Platinum Self Storage at 2015 E. Marshall Ave. will begin this summer. It’ll be built in two phases, with 46,000 square feet in the first, and 23,000 in the second. Based in Kilgore, Texas, Roberts & Hatchett also operates Platinum Self Storage at 4851 Estes Parkway in the city.

SAFStor Inc. received planning-board approval to develop a self-storage facility on 3.5 acres in Washington Township, New Jersey. The three-story structure on Fries Mill Road will comprise 105,000 square feet and be built next to a Verchio’s Produce store. It’ll be managed by REIT Life Storage Inc. and branded under its name. Property-line adjustments were made as part of the project, with Verchio’s receiving two small parcels comprising 1.2 acres adjacent to its site. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, SAFStor develops and owns self-storage primarily in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, including Texas.

Shurgard Self Storage Europe SARL, the European affiliate of U.S.-based REIT Public Storage Inc., is seeking approval to convert a building in Randstad, The Netherlands, to self-storage. The company signed a long-term lease agreement for a structure and expects to obtain planning permission in the coming months, according to a press release. Slated to open in early 2023, the facility will contain 43,055 square feet in 550 units. Shurgard has three projects underway in the Randstad region.

Shurgard also purchased a building northeast of Utrecht, The Netherlands, for a self-storage conversion. Expected to open next year, it’ll offer 33,368 square feet in 450 units. Shurgard operates 61 facilities in The Netherlands. Its portfolio includes 256 self-storage properties comprising 1.2 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Surf City Storage LLC is building a facility in Hampstead, North Carolina, on 5.17 acres near the intersection of North Carolina Highway 210 and U.S. Route 17. Surf City Storage will comprise 80,000 square feet. The family-owned investment group also built and operates Hampstead Self Storage in the city. Plans for a satellite location near Williams Store Road are underway.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting a former Kmart store in Morton, Illinois, to self-storage. The 95,520-square-foot building at 1075 W. Jackson St. will offer 750 climate-controlled units in addition to truck rentals, retail products and other services. The project is expected to be complete by year end. Some rental and retail services are currently operating from a temporary showroom. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 73.6 million square feet of storage space in North America.

Vandwell Developments is seeking approval to tear down a home and build a three-story self-storage facility in its place in Vancouver, British Columbia. The property at 1802 Franklin St. in the Grandview-Woodland neighborhood contains a seven-bedroom house that was built in 1939. It sold in 2021 for $2.7 million. Vandwell is a real estate developer based in Vancouver.

A proposed self-storage facility in Canton Township, Michigan, was recommended for approval by the planning commission. The three-building project at 4985 Research Drive received special land-use approval earlier this year. The application will now go before the board of trustees for final review.

New Sources:
App.com, Howell's Next Proposed Development: Self Storage on Route 9
BirminghamWatch, Birmingham Council Says ‘No’ to Storage Facility
Community Impact Newspaper, Katy Ranch Road Self Storage Facility Is Now Open
Echo, Basildon Toys R Us Building to Be Brought Back Into Use
Daily News-Record, Board of Supervisors Green-Lights Self-Storage Facility
Lansing State Journal, Zap Zone Plans to Relocate to Lansing Mall, Making Room for Over $5M Self-Storage Facility
Longview News-Journal, Cooper Companies Inc. Announces the Start of Construction on a New, Climate-Controlled Self-Storage Facility Along West Route 66 in Flagstaff
My Central Jersey, Self Storage Facility Proposed for Vacant Property in Cranbury
Multi-Housing News, 1784 Capital Secures $25M Loan for Annapolis Storage Project
Orlando Business Journal, Winter Park Firm The Nuvo Co. LLC to Redevelop Former Go-Kart Track Into Orlando Self-Storage Facility
Ozaukee County News Graphic, 702-Unit Life Storage opens in Mequon
Patch, 3-Story-Tall Self-Storage Building Proposed for Murrieta
Penn Live, Marysville Residents Concerned Over Storage Center Being Built Near Neighborhood
Peterborough Today, New Plans Unveiled to Build Huge Storage Centre at Peterborough One Retail Park
PR.com, Self Storage Plus Opens Brand New Facility in Upper Marlboro, MD
PR Newswire, ACRES Originates $24.9M Loan for Annapolis Self Storage in Annapolis
PR Newswire, U-Haul Acquires Land to Expand Self-Storage Footprint in Cartersville
PR Web, Metro Storage LLC to Develop a Climate-Controlled Self Storage Facility in Old Bridge, New Jersey
Puget Sound Journal, Urban Self Storage Plans 4-Building Addition in Tacoma's Nalley Valley
Quad-City Times, Menards Wants to Build Self-Storage Units on North Brady. Why Davenport Officials Say They Shouldn't
The Buffalo News, New Self-Storage Facility Coming to Former Melody Fair Site
The Daily World, New Storage Facility Opening in Elma
MASS Live, Westfield Self-Storage Business Gains Planning Board Support

 

Previous Sources:
42Freeway, Life Storage Brand Storage Facility Approved for Fries Mill Rd Washington Township Next to Verchio’s
Cape Gazette, Developer Presents Concept Plans for Milton Storage Facility
Hometown Life, Mini-Storage Facility Planned Along Michigan Avenue in Canton
Longview News-Journal, Self-Storage Facility Planned for Site for Former American Dream Inn in Longview
Mass Live, Westfield Neighbors Air Wildlife, Lighting Concerns About North Road Storage Unit Plan
Mass Live, Westfield North Side Residents Speak Against Plans for Self-Storage by Arm Brook
PR Newswire, Adaptive Reuse: U-Haul Shares Vision for Converting Vacant Kmart in Morton
Sandpaper, Extra Space Self-Storage Going Up in Stafford Township
Star News Online, Too Much Stuff Piling Up in Hampstead? A New Storage Facility Could Help
Straight, Plan to Replace Vancouver Home With Storage Building Cites Need Due To ‘Small Sizes of New Apartments’
Upson Beacon, Planning Commission OKs Self-Storage on Knight Trail

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