September 23, 2020

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

Update 9/23/20 – 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 September 2020.

Apple Self Storage opened a new location in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. The newly constructed three-story facility at 49 Overland Drive comprises 84,000 square feet and includes an interior loading bay. The property is the company’s third in the city. Apple opened its first facility in 1975 and today operates 36 locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario.

Bravo Development LLC is seeking approval to build a three-story facility in South Elgin, Ill. The proposal, which also includes two smaller buildings on the 3-acre lot at 250 Randall Road, was presented during a Sept. 8 village board meeting. The main building will contain 102,000 square feet in 834 units, with 11,500-square-foot and 5,000-square-foot structures on the south and west side. A fourth building could be added later. The planning and zoning board recommended the council approve the project pending changes to the façade for the main building, such as adding more masonry and glass in lieu of metal.

Community Park Storage opened in Cranberry Township, Pa. The facility at 20709 US-19 comprises 95,000 square feet in more than 600 units. It was developed by Clark Investment Group and Nuvo Development, and will be managed by Storage Asset Management, a self-storage property management and consulting company.

Diamond Point Development LLC, in partnership with Castle Hill Investors LLC, completed three Atlanta-area storage projects this summer. The four-story facility at 1745 Roswell Road in Marietta, Ga., comprises 99,700 square feet in 793 units. The three-story facility at 815 W. Lanier Ave. in Fayetteville, Ga., encompasses 105,000 square feet in 745 units. The bi-level building at 6434 Covington Highway in Lithonia, Ga., features 112,564 square feet in 856 units.

Diamond also co-developed a three-story facility with SAFStor Inc. at 430 Bishop St. N.W. in Atlanta. It contains 79,035 square feet in 901 units. ARCO Construction Co. Inc. served as the contractor. All four properties will be managed by Life Storage Inc., a self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) that operates more than 875 facilities in 29 states and Ontario.

First State Self Storage intends to build a 72,300-square-foot facility in Milford, Del., that would include a 1,200-square-foot office, plus a manager residence. Zoning for the 9-acre site on S. Dupont Boulevard would allow self-storage, but because the property abuts a protected wetland area on the Mispillion River, a variance waiver will also be required. The planning commission recently recommended the city council approve the project, though the proposal faces some residential opposition. First State owner Bruce O’Heir has three other self-storage facilities in Sussex County.

GreenLocker Self-Storage is under development in Dublin. Expected to open within a year, the facility will comprise 20,000 square feet. Company co-founders Gavin and Ian McConnon plan to build additional facilities in Dublin as well as Belfast, Cork and Galway, Ireland, in the next two years.

Grupe Cos. opened a facility in Modesto, Calif. Located in an opportunity zone, the single-story building at 1324 Coldwell Ave. was converted from an industrial warehouse that was built in 1946. It comprises 103,000 rentable square feet and will be managed by WWG. Grupe acquired the 5-acre site for $4.3 million from Centerra Capital in June 2019. Bank of Stockton provided a $7 million acquisition and development loan, according to Yardi Matrix data. Headquartered in Stockton, Calif., Grupe develops commercial and residential projects.

Horne Partners LLC intends to build a self-storage facility on a 2-acre site in the Canyon Country community of Santa Clarita, Calif. The property at the southwest corner of Golden Valley Road and Valley Center Drive would comprise 156,000 square feet in 1,200 units. Plans also call for 21 parking spaces, 16 of which would be gated. The proposed three-story structure, which would include a clock tower, requires a land-use change from community commercial to business park because its 57-foot design exceeds a 35-foot height restriction. Recently approved by the planning commission, the project will next be reviewed by the city council.

Real estate developer Jim O’Malley intends to build a mixed-use development on 22.68 acres in Franklin, Wis. The project on three subdivided lots at the southeast corner of 76th Street and Ryan Road would include a three-story self-storage facility, convenience store and recreation center. O’Malley characterized the rec center as a “gift” to the community, though it would operate under private membership unless the city is willing to acquire that portion of the project. The self-storage component would offer only indoor units and be designed to look like an office building. If approved, work on the project wouldn’t likely begin before next spring. O’Malley has completed several commercial and residential projects in the area.

SmartStop Self Storage REIT Inc., which operates 144 properties in 19 U.S. states and Toronto, is purchasing 1.2 acres in a retail shopping center in the Greater Toronto Area and will use it to develop a new self-storage facility. The finished project will comprise 145,000 gross square feet in 1,050 units. Subject to normal conditions, the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. SmartStop already has 20 properties in the GTA, either open or being built. Through its indirect subsidiary SmartStop REIT Advisors LLC, SmartStop sponsors other self-storage programs, including Strategic Storage Trust IV Inc., a public non-traded REIT. It has approximately $1.6 billion of real estate assets under management.

Kayla and Levi Spencer opened Highway 2 Storage in Kalispell, Mont. The 5-acre property at 3454 U.S Hwy 2 W. contains two buildings with pull-through bays for boats and RVs. A second phase will add two more structures for vehicle storage as well as a 90-unit building for interior storage.

Self-Storage developer Walt Stinson intends to build a facility on 11 acres of former farmland in Gorham, Maine. The property at 551 Main St. would comprise 64,475 square feet in nine buildings. As proposed, it would have an “agricultural style” design, according to Mike Mays, an architect with Grant Mays Associates. If the project is approved, Stinson will donate a vintage barn from the property to a nearby Cherry Hill Farm operated by the Shaw Bros. Family Foundation. It’s currently under review by Gorham planners.

Strategic Storage Growth Trust II Inc. (SSGT II), a private REIT sponsored by an affiliate of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, acquired a 4.8-acre parcel adjacent to its facility in Mill Creek, a suburb of Seattle, for an expansion. The existing facility at 16618 Bothell Everett Highway comprises 65,400 net rentable square feet in 660 units. The new buildings will add 36,400 net rentable square feet in 420 units. SSGT II owns six facilities comprising 480,000 net rentable square feet in 5,500 units, and a Toronto facility in a joint venture with SmartCentres REIT.

Tezlaff Storage LLC is developing a new facility in Waterford, Wis. Valued at $1.5 million, the storage project is part of the 54-acre Mercury Development site along Highway 36. The mixed-use project will also include retail, restaurants and multi-family housing.

U-Haul is pursuing conversion projects in Jacksonville, Fla., and Keene, N.H. In Jacksonville, the company will convert a 91-year-old former Western Union Telegraph Co. building at 141 Myrtle Ave. N. It acquired the 34,289-square-foot building on Aug. 25. The first phase of the project will build 231 storage units. Current business tenants in the building, including McGill's Custom Counter Tops and Dukeman Custom Woodworking, are expected to remain during the renovation.

In Keene, U-Haul will convert a former beverage-distribution center. The company acquired the 7.5-acre property at 472 Winchester St. on Aug. 26 for $1.65 million. The site houses the 34,304-square-foot former Clarke Distributors Inc. building. The main portion of the space, about 30,172 square feet, was constructed in the mid-1960s. Several additions were later conducted. A small maintenance building was added to the property in 1975.

9/11/20 – 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 September 2020.

Beyond Self Storage (BSS), which operates 27 locations in 11 states, opened a new location in the Silverado Ranch neighborhood of Las Vegas. The facility at 8895 S. Maryland Parkway contains 866 climate-controlled units. The company plans to open a second site in the city in January. BSS is the operating brand for NorthPoint Development, a development, management and leasing firm that’s principally focused on the industrial, multi-family, senior-living and self-storage markets in the Central United States.

BSS also purchased a 5-acre vacant site in Lombard, Ill., for a new development. The property at 880 E. Roosevelt Road was acquired for $1.2 million, according to Inland Real Estate Commercial Brokerage Inc., which brokered the deal. BSS operates three Illinois facilities in Arlington Heights, Des Plaines and Willowbrook.

Built Partnership completed a $4 million expansion of Spring Grove Self Storage in Cincinnati. The facility at 4861 Spring Grove Ave. added 250 climate-controlled units and 140 vehicle-storage spaces. Other improvements include a new management office, freight and passenger elevators, and a retail center. Expected to be complete next year, a second expansion will bring the site’s storage capacity to 146,000 square feet. Built Partnership acquired the property in 2017. The investment and development company specializes in mixed-use sites and conversion projects.

Construction is underway on a four-story CubeSmart facility in Stuart, Fla. Once complete, the facility will feature public art and landscaping to screen it from traffic along U.S Route 1, according to Stuart Mayor Mike Meier. CubeSmart, a publicly traded self-storage real estate investment trust and management company, owns or manages 1,266 self-storage facilities across the United States. Its operating portfolio comprises 85 million square feet.

Business owner Dan Frederick intends to convert an empty building he owns in Worland, Wyo., to self-storage. The property at 834 Big Horn Ave. can accommodate about 75 units, but self-storage isn’t an approved use within a central business district. The site is across from city hall. Loading and unloading would be prohibited along Big Horn and confined to a garage door at the back of the building. The Worland Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission, of which Frederick is a member, recently discussed whether to recommend including interior self-storage as an approved use in specific zones but didn’t have enough members present for a quorum. They considered voting via email to provide a recommendation to the council in time for its Sept. 15 meeting.

Entrepreneur Jeremy Martin is converting a 100-year-old former factory to self-storage in Sheffield, England. Oyster Self Storage on Keeton’s Hill comprises 3,000 square feet in 47 units and will expand to meet business needs. The facility will also offer moving and packing supplies, unloading and storing assistance, and delivery and collection service.

Princeton Meadows Storage filed a permit to build a new facility near Princeton Meadows Blvd. and U.S. Highway 380. Plans call for a 63,421-square-foot facility that’ll be designed by David Baca Studio. Construction on the $3.8 million project is expected to begin in January and be complete within a year.

The Greene County, Va., Planning Commission agreed to rezone 5.5 acres, allowing Ruckersville Self Storage LLC to expand its site along U.S. Route 29 in Ruckersville. Owner Darrell Payne told planners the facility is nearing full capacity. The expansion at 8060 Seminole Trail will include new units, including some climate-controlled spaces. Increased demand for RV storage will be accommodated on the backside of the property. The site has room for additional expansion toward the front of the parcel.

Simply Self Storage (SSS), which operates more than 100 facilities nationwide, opened a new location in the Huntington Station suburb on Long Island, N.Y. The two-story building at 670 E. Jericho Turnpike sits on 1.8 acres and comprises 99,792 square feet. Citibank provided $13.5 million in financing. The company has two locations on Long Island in Hauppauge and Lindenhurst. Founded in 2003, SSS operates more than 10 million square feet of storage space.

Stratford Mini-Storage is adding a second building at 4452 Stratford Road N.E. in Moses Lake, Wash. Expected to be complete in October, the structure will provide 32 more units to the property’s existing 60. Bryan and Stacey Weichelt purchased the business a year ago. The couple also operate Stratford Farmers Market, which they founded in 2012.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc., which operates more than 1,700 self-storage facilities across North America, received permission from the Santa Maria, Calif., City Council to convert a former Kmart. U-Haul acquired the 13-acre property at 2875 Santa Maria Way in 2019 and has been operating a truck-rental center onsite. When the company sought permits to add 635 storage units inside the building and add space for U-Box mobile units, some residents opposed. The council’s decision effectively denied an appeal filed by resident Stephen Wagner after the planning commission approved the project in June.

Wagner and 50 other residents signed a petition questioning the appropriateness of self-storage for the site. They called for more landscaping, and expressed concerns about potential loss of sales-tax revenue as well as hours of operation, possible noise, site maintenance and the number of U-Haul trucks allowed to park onsite. The approved project will limit rental trucks to 142 spaces, while preserving storefront parking for customers. Building enhancements will include a new façade and stonework. Established in 1945, U-Haul operates more than 68 million square feet of storage space in North America.

West Coast Self Storage, which operates 73 facilities in California, Oregon and Washington, opened a new location in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The facility at 9901 8th St. is between Archibald and Hermosa Avenues in the North Cucamonga neighborhood. Designed by Jackson | Main Architecture, it was developed by Biane Family Properties LLC and built by HBI Construction Inc. It comprises 69,166 square feet in 381 units, including 96 vehicle-storage spaces. It’ll be managed by West Coast Self-Storage Group, a property management, acquisition and development company headquartered in Everett, Wash.

The William Warren Group (WWG), a privately held real estate company that operates the StorQuest Self Storage brand, opened a 54,537-rentable-square-foot facility in Palm Coast, Fla. WWG acquired the 5-acre parcel at 3895 N. Old Kings Road for $450,000 from a private investor in April 2019. Scherer Construction was the general contractor. Campus USA Credit Union provided a five-year, $4.6 million construction loan.

WWG also opened a facility in Fresno, Calif. The property at 5365 N. Island Waterpark Drive is next door to The Island Waterpark. Founded in 1994 and based in Santa Monica, Calif., WWG acquires, develops and operates more than 165 self-storage facilities in 14 states.

Volusia County, Fla., planners recommended approval for a self-storage facility proposed by engineering firm Zev Cohen & Associates. The project is targeted for an 11-acre site on the north side of Doyle Road in Enterprise. Plans call for an unspecified number of interior, climate-controlled units and 26 outdoor boat/RV spaces, which would require an amendment to the county’s growth-management plan and a zoning change. Current zoning limits site development to 35,000 square feet, while the proposal calls for 85,351 square feet. The parcel is vacant except for a 190-foot cell tower. The county council will consider the project on Oct. 6. If approved, it would then advance for approval by the Volusia Growth Management Commission and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

New Sources:
Chicago Tribune, 3-Story Storage Facility With 834 Self-Service Units Proposed for South Elgin’s Randall Road Corridor
Commercial Property Executive, The William Warren Group Grows StorQuest Portfolio
Daily Inter Lake, Couple Opens Storage, Penske Rental Facility on U.S. 2
Delaware State News, Milford Planning Commission OKs Storage Facility
EIN Presswire, Apple Self Storage Opens a New Self Storage Facility in Kitchener
EIN Presswire, Irish Entrepreneurs Gavin McConnon and Iain McConnon, Announce a New €2 Million Investment in a Self-Storage Business
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A Well-Known Franklin Developer Wants to Bring a Kwik Trip, Storage Facility, Outdoor Pool, and More to the City
Press Herald, Plan for Self-Storage Facility in Gorham Under Review
PR Newswire, Real Estate: New U-Haul Facility a Reflection of Keene's Growth
PR Newswire, SmartStop to Develop Self Storage Facility in Greater Toronto Area
PR Newswire, Strategic Storage Growth Trust II, Inc. Acquires Land Adjacent to Self Storage Facility Near Seattle, Plans to Expand
PR Newswire, U-Haul Shares Plans for New Self-Storage Center in Jacksonville
Sentinel Source, U-Haul to Take Over Winchester Street Space in Keene
The Journal Times, Three Projects Set for Waterford Mercury Development Site

Previous Sources:
Commercial Property Executive, Simply Self Storage Expands Long Island Footprint
Commercial Property Executive, The William Warren Group Expands Florida Footprint
D Magazine, Deal Ticker
Noozhawk, Santa Maria Council Approves U-Haul Mini-Storage Facility for Old Kmart Site
Northern Wyoming News, BAPC Considers Approval of Inside Storage Facility in Downtown Worland
Patch, New Storage Facility Opens in Rancho Cucamonga
PR Newswire, Built Partnership Completes Phase I Expansion of Spring Grove Self Storage in Cincinnati
PR Newswire, Self Storage Plus Adds Its First Facility in Washington, DC
PR Newswire, Simply Self Storage Announces New Class 'A' Storage Facility in Long Island, New York
PRWeb, StorQuest Opens Modern Self Storage Facility in Fresno, CA
RE Journals, Inland Arranges Sale of Five-Acre Site in Lombard to National Self-Storage Group
Santa Maria Sun, Santa Maria Allows U-Haul to Add 600 Mini-Storage Units to Its Property
Santa Maria Times, Plans Progress for U-Haul Storage Facility at Former Kmart on Santa Maria Way
TC Palm, Dominating the Skyline in Quaint Little Stuart, It's ... Self Storage
The Business Desk, Self Storage Business Settles Into Former City Factory
The Record Review, Stratford Mini-Storage Breaks Ground
The West Volusia Beacon, Storage Facility Planned in Enterprise Gets an OK
The Yorkshire Post, Self Storage Business Opens at 100-Year-Old Sheffield Factory

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