Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: September 2023

Update 4/8/24 - Castle Hill Investors LLC and Diamond Point Development have opened their new self-storage facility in Danbury, Connecticut, which comprises 75,100 rentable square feet in 737 climate-controlled units. The CubeSmart-branded operation is right across the street from Caraluzzi’s Danbury Market.

This is the 14th self-storage facility delivered by Diamond Point and its eighth in the Northeast. It’s the company’s first project in Connecticut. “With the growth of multi-family developments in the Danbury market, self-storage is a needed resource for the community,” said Aaron Sommer.

EDC served as general contractor. The facility was designed by SAA Architects.

Castle Hill is a Miami-based company specializing in the development, investment and operation of self-storage, manufactured-housing and multi-family properties.

1/15/24 – A development proposed by Kid’s Realty LLC and Pond Road LLC was denied last week in a 3-2 vote by the Old Lyme, Connecticut, zoning commission. In addition, the commission once again discussed establishing a six-month moratorium on self-storage.

In a discussion prior to the vote, one member reiterated that self-storage isn’t the right fit for the parcel. “The facility is not appropriate for a beach community and architecturally does not fit into the community as well,” said commission chair Paul Orzel.

He also expressed concern about the project’s plans to allow vehicle storage. “I also believe that with the introduction of that type of equipment that the facility could draw, I am concerned about the maintenance of equipment in that area, the possible spillage of fuels that may not be reported in a proper manner to authorities or even to the managers of the facility,” Orzel said.

The project did have several supporters, including commission member Mike Miller, who approved of its design. Even though there were concerns from community and commission members, he reminded his colleagues that the property is commercial. “The storage units would bring more revenue into our town and have no impact on our schools and no impact on police and fire. It’s a net plus in my opinion,” he said.

The attorney representing the developers said they haven’t determined whether they’ll resubmit their application.

Following the vote, the commission discussed imposing the moratorium. The options are to ban self-storage in the city entirely, develop new regulations or keep the current ones. Eric Knapp, the city’s land-use coordinator, will prepare a document for the proposed six-month suspension. The commission will vote on the measure in February, then set a public hearing for March.

9/20/23 – 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 2023.

U.K. self-storage operator Big Yellow Group PLC is converting a former Sainsbury grocery store in Slough, England. The three-story facility on Farnham Road will comprise 62,000 square feet. The property is in the Slough Trading Estate, the largest industrial park in Europe. Construction is expected to be complete next summer. Big Yellow operates 109 self-storage locations in the United Kingdom under the Big Yellow Self Storage and Armadillo brand names, with most concentrated in Greater London and Southeast England.

Proffitt Dixon Partners opened Carrawy Self Storage in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The four-story building at 500 Myrica St. comprises 93,000 square feet. Designed and built by the project and development-services team at JLL Capital Markets, it’ll be managed and branded by self-storage real estate investment trust Public Storage Inc. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Proffitt is a multi-family investment and development firm.

A joint venture between CrownPoint Group Inc. and Lamar Cos. will develop a six-story self-storage building on a 1-acre, former salvage yard in Newark, New Jersey. Once complete, the facility at the corner of Avenue L and Wilson Avenue will comprise 135,000 gross square feet and more than 1,200 units. The site is in the city’s Ironbound District, which houses factories, warehouses and high-density residential neighborhoods. Based in Parsippany, New Jersey, CrownPoint is a real estate development and investment firm that specializes in commercial, multi-family and self-storage projects. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Fairfield, New Jersey, Lamar is a real estate investment company with interests in retail and other commercial properties.

Steve Hunt, owner of real estate firm Hunt CRE, is seeking zoning approval to build a self-storage facility in Harrison, Tennessee. Plans for the 3.1-acre site on Tennessee State Route 58 include climate-controlled buildings and vehicle storage. The Hamilton County Planning Commission supports the project. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Hunt CRE offers real estate brokerage and development consulting.

Kid’s Realty LLC and Pond Road LLC are facing obstacles in their pursuit of zoning approval to build a self-storage facility in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Plans for the property along Shore Road, across from a residential beach area, include three 35-foot-high buildings, each comprising 10,500 square feet. The application has caused the zoning commission to consider a regulation change, specifically regarding building height, for commercial developments near its beach communities. The developers originally made their proposal in 2021 but withdrew it after more than 100 residents signed a petition opposing the project. The commission denied a second application in May and is now considering a six-month moratorium on new development. Kid’s Realty and Pond Road are appealing the denial in court. The board will revisit the proposal at its Oct. 10 meeting.  

Lemoyne Self Storage opened in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. The facility at 1005 Hummel Ave. comprises 11,000 square feet in 63 units.

Brooklyn, New York-based Lot 15 Jernee Mill LLC intends to develop a self-storage facility on a 14.2-acre site in Sayreville, New Jersey. The four-story structure at 18 Jernee Mill Road will comprise 133,000 square feet. The developer has requested a variance to erect two 100-square-foot signs on the façade, though city regulations permit only one. Located in a special economic-development zone, the property is owned by Brooklyn-based Yonkers 300 LLC.

England-based self-storage operator McCarthy’s Storage World is converting the former Danwood call center on Whisby Road in Lincoln, into its third location. Expected to open this month, the facility comprises 30,000 square feet and includes solar panels, LED lighting and electric-vehicle charging stations. The company also operates facilities in Leeds and Sheffield, with another project in development in Chesterfield. McCarthy’s is the operating brand for MJ McCarthy Holdings Ltd. Founded more than 50 years ago, it also provides moving services, records storage, shredding and other business services.

My Attic Self Storage opened its third location at 368 S. Pond St. in Toccoa, Georgia. The operator has two other Toccoa sites, at 1525 Falls Road and 1139 Mize Road.

One Stop Self Storage, which operates seven facilities in Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, opened a new location in Chicago. The facility at 1750 N Lawndale Ave. offers climate-controlled units.

Rapid Building Solutions LLC, doing business as 4WH LLC, intends to develop a self-storage facility in the former Hamilton West Shopping Center in Hamilton, Ohio, but the decision to move forward hinges on whether the city wants a 2-acre portion of the property to be repaved or repaired. The project at 64 N. Brookwood Ave. would consume 6.4 acres. 4WH owns another 2 acres it intends to sell, but the planning commission recently directed the company to “seal and repave” the lot. Rapid President Mark Masterson has asked for clarification on the city’s request because repaving the entire area would cost eight times more than repairing and resealing potholes on the site. If repaving is required, Masterson indicated it would be cost-prohibitive to move forward. The city council is expected to discuss the project on Sept. 27. Based in Winter Garden, Florida, Rapid specializes in self-storage construction.

Safe Storage Club opened a new facility at 1380 E. Pointe Drive in Lehigh Acres, Florida. The company has two other locations in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Machesney Park, Illinois.

Safeguard Self Storage plans to break ground on a new facility this fall in Smithtown, New York. Plans for the 1.3-acre parcel at 1036A West Jericho Turnpike include a three-story building comprising 59,000 square feet in 600 units. Founded in 1989, Atlanta-based Safeguard operates more than 80 locations in six states.

Squab Storage is converting an existing structure in Warwick, England, to a mixed-use facility that’ll include self-storage and a business center with workspace and a conference room. The company will invest £3.5 million in the project at Tournament Fields Business Park. Once complete, it’ll offer 50,000 square feet of self-storage. Squab operates similar properties in Evesham, Leamington, Rubery and Stowmarket. The company has purchased another site in Somerset, England, and will begin construction this year.

Daniel Sullivan intends to convert a portion of the former Pratt & Whitney industrial complex in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to 20,000 square feet of self-storage. The project at 523-529 Halfway House Road requires a special permit for adaptive reuse. Twenty units would be created inside Building 1, a metal structure constructed in 1988 and expanded in 1994. Existing offices and a mezzanine that connects the structure to Building 2 would be demolished. The second building is occupied under lease for another 18 months.

Town Center Self-Storage received approval to develop a facility in Newberry, Florida. Plans for the 3-acre property include 10 buildings comprising 49,500 square feet. Four will be built in the first phase.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. opened a new self-storage location in Anchorage, Alaska. The three-story facility at 3751 W. Dimond Blvd. comprises 100,386 square feet in 698 units.

U-Haul is also developing a storage facility in Kapolei, Hawaii. Plans for the 4-acre site at 91-509 Kapolei Kai St. in the Kapolei Business Park include a three-story structure containing 600 climate-controlled units. A separate warehouse will be built to house portable-moving containers. The site is expected to open in fall 2025. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 82 million square feet of storage space nationwide.

An unidentified developer intends to build a three-story self-storage facility at 922 S. Claremont St. in San Mateo, California. The project would require the demolition of an existing structure but also convert two remaining buildings into additional storage space.

9/8/23 – 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 2023.

4M Self Storage added 30 indoor units to its facility in Whitechurch, England, doubling its capacity. Specializing in portable-storage buildings, 4M launched its self-storage division in 2021. The company is a subsidiary of Grocott Group, which also owns Tilley Green Coffee, Whixall Marina and Nixons Pet & Country Store.

Apple Self Storage, which has more than 45 properties in Canada, opened a new location in St. Marys, Ontario. The facility at 50 Road 120 is the company’s first fully unmanned site. Founded in 1975, family-owned Apple operates in New Brunswick, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Ontario.

Dallas-based developer Baranof Holdings LLC is seeking permission to develop a seven-story self-storage facility in Hollywood. Plans for the building on North Seward Street and North Hudson Avenue include 168,000 square feet of storage units as well as specialty storage for media such as video and audio tapes, photographs, and hard drives. The existing building will be demolished and replaced. The site is owned by Pure Silver Enterprises, which purchased it in 2013 for nearly $4 million. Founded in 2015, Baranof has acquired, developed and managed more than $1.5 billion in self-storage assets.

Barrett Enterprises LLC received approval to add 42 units to Pioneer Public Storage in Montpelier, Vermont. The facility at 190 River St. is on a parcel bisected by the Washington County Railroad. Two storage buildings will be added on a 1.75-acre section just south of the railroad tracks. The installation of downcast LED lights was a condition of receiving the conditional-use permit.

Basis Industrial will break ground later this month on a new self-storage facility in Voorhees Township, New Jersey. The company secured a $12.1 million construction loan from WSFS Bank for the 113,000-square-foot project at 111 Centennial Blvd. Expected to open next fall, the site will be managed by real estate investment trust (REIT) Public Storage Inc. Formerly known as MCSS Self-Storage, Basis rebranded last year. It owns more than 2 million square feet of self-storage and industrial real estate, primarily in Florida and across the Sun Belt. It has 15 self-storage projects in various stages of development.

U.K. self-storage operator Big Yellow Group PLC is developing a mixed-used project in Wapping, East London, that’ll include apartments and self-storage. Plans for the eight-story building at 60-70 and 100 The Highway and 110 Pennington St. include 132,000 square feet of self-storage and 114 homes. An existing building will be demolished. The project is expected to cost £36 million. Big Yellow operates 109 self-storage locations in the United Kingdom under the Big Yellow Self Storage and Armadillo brand names, with most concentrated in Greater London and Southeast England.

Diamond Point Development, a real estate investment and operating company, is constructing a self-storage facility on a 3.5-acre lot in Danbury, Connecticut. Expected to open in December, the building at 95 Mill Plain Road will comprise 105,000 square feet. It’ll be managed and branded by REIT CubeSmart. Based in Georgia, Diamond Point is owned by brothers Aaron and Jason Sommer.

Frontera Real Estate Investments is developing a 733-unit, 80,000-square-foot self-storage facility in downtown Lancaster, California. The company secured a $10 million construction loan through mortgage-banking company BWE. Founded in 2015, Frontera is a commercial real estate company that specializes in self-storage, industrial projects and unentitled land in the western U.S.

Hwy 35 Storage completed an expansion at its facility in Royse City, Texas. The project at 7878 FM 35 added two climate-controlled buildings, drive-up units and outdoor vehicle-storage options. The property is owned by Big Guy Storage LLC, which specializes in the development and management of storage condominiums.

Insite Property Group, the parent company of SecureSpace Self Storage, opened a new location in Queens, New York. The facility at 131-21 14th Ave. comprises 131,691 square feet of climate-controlled storage. Based in Torrance, California, InSite has more than 50 facilities operating or under construction.

McCarthy’s Storage World converted the former Land Rover car dealership on Savile Street in Sheffield, England, into its second self-storage location. The building comprises 50,000 square feet. The company also operates a facility in Leeds, England, which opened in 2008 and has two other projects in development. McCarthy’s is the operating brand for MJ McCarthy Holdings Ltd. Founded more than 50 years ago, it also provides moving services, records storage, shredding and other business services.

Northwest Building LLC opened a new self-storage facility in the Del Sur neighborhood of San Diego. The property at 16001 Babcock St. comprises 99,400 square feet in 1,116 units. It was designed by Seattle-based Jackson | Main Architecture and constructed by El Cajon, California-based RDS Contracting Inc. The site will be managed by West Coast Self Storage Group (WSSG), an Everett, Washington-based property-management, acquisition and development company.

Padlock Partners UK Fund IV, an unincorporated investment trust with interest in commercial real estate, is developing a self-storage facility in Chippenham, England. The company purchased a former warehouse for £1.7 that it plans to demolish. It’ll then construct a three-story building comprising 38,000 net rentable square feet in its place. Padlock operates three storage facilities in Edmonton, Haverhill and Newbury, England.

Public Storage completed construction of an 18-story facility in Manhattan, New York City, in a joint venture with Highland Development Ventures. The building at 155 W. 29th St. was designed by Mancini Duffy Architects and developed by The Davis Cos., with Cauldwell Wingate serving as the contractor. It comprises 180,000 square feet in 6,000 units. Based in Glendale, California, Public Storage has interests in 2,888 self-storage facilities in 40 states, with approximately 206 million net rentable square feet.

S’more Space Storage opened a new location in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. The facility at 105 W. Penn Grant Road comprises 66,518 square feet in 417 units and outdoor vehicle-storage spaces. It’ll be managed by Storage Asset Management, a self-storage management company based in York, Pennsylvania. S’more also operates a site in Landisville, Pennsylvania.

Shurgard Self Storage Ltd., the European affiliate of Public Storage Inc., has two projects planned for Stuttgart, Germany. It received planning approval to build a facility in the Wangen district that’ll comprise 7,000 square meters in about 1,000 units. The €16.4 million project is expected to open next year. The company also acquired land in the northeast on which it intends to develop a 6,900-square-meter asset offering approximately 1,000 units. That project is expected to be complete in 2026. Shurgard operates 268 self-storage properties comprising 1.4 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Stuf, a startup business that partners with commercial-property owners to convert unused space to self-storage, opened a new location in Atlanta. The space inside the mixed-use building at 1170 Howell Mill Road offers 7,000 square feet in 100 units. Founded in 2020 and based in New York, Stuf operates facilities in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

SurePoint Development, which operates five facilities in Texas, is developing a new location in New Braunfels, Texas. Construction will begin on the three-story building near the corner of FM 1863 and Texas State Highway 46 next spring. Once complete, the facility will comprise 94,000 rentable square feet of climate-controlled space and be managed by CubeSmart. SurePoint is led by Jeff Bailey, Brian Cisarik, Robert Loeb and Clint Wynn.

Twenty4 Secure Storage intends to develop a self-storage facility in Bradford, England, on the former site of Ackroyds mill. The project on Factory Street will open with 10 shipping containers and expand capacity over three years. The mill was destroyed by fire in 2011 and demolished the following year. A decision on the application is expected next month. Twenty4 operates a self-storage facility in Leeds, England.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting the former RONA home-improvement store in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, to self-storage. The company acquired the 16.5-acre property in July. Once complete, the 36,804-square-foot building at 943 Barrydowne Road will offer 650 climate-controlled units. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 78 million square feet of storage space nationwide.

An unnamed developer has proposed a three-story self-storage facility for The Crossings mixed-use development in Carrollton, Virgina. The Isle of Wight County’s Planning Commission recommended approving a conditional-use permit for the 75,000-square-foot building off Lori Anne Way, the access road to development’s commercial phase. The county supervisors will consider the proposal at their Sept. 21 meeting.

The Huntington, West Virginia, City Council approved a zoning ordinance paving the way for an unnamed developer to build a 175-unit self-storage facility in the city. The property in the Westmoreland neighborhood was rezoned from residential to industrial upon the recommendation of the planning commission.

New Sources:

Alachua County Today, Newberry Board of Adjustment Approves Warehouse and Storage Facility
Chattanooga Times Free Press, Hamilton County planners reject one self-storage facility in Hixson but approve expanding another on Highway 58
CT Examiner, Plans for Self-Storage Business in Old Lyme Spur Talk of New Commercial Zoning
Digital Journal, My Attic Self Storage Expands to a New Location in Toccoa, GA
Digital Journal, One Stop Self Storage Expands its Reach to a New Convenient Location in Chicago
Digital Journal, Safe Storage Club Expands Its Reach With a New Facility in Lehigh Acres, FL
Hartford Business, Self-Storage Conversion Planned in Windsor Locks
Journal-News, Failed Storage Unit Facility Project on Hamilton’s Brookwood Avenue May Get New Developer
Lincolnshire Live, Lincoln Self-Storage Centre to Open That People Use Smartphones to Access
Long Island Business Week, Construction Starting Soon on New Smithtown Self-Storage Project
My Central Jersey, Four-Story Self-Storage Facility Proposed in Sayreville
Penn Live, Self-Storage Facility Opens in Cumberland County
PR Newswire, U-Haul Announces Plans for a Fifth Company Store on Oahu
PR Newswire, U-Haul West Dimond Store to Host Grand Opening Event on Sept. 29
REBusiness Online, Proffitt Dixon Delivers 93,000 SF Self-Storage Facility in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
ROI, JV Acquires Newark Ironbound Land, Obtains Approvals for 135,000+ Sq. Ft.,1,200-Unit Self-Storage Facility
Slough & South Bucks Observer, Big Yellow Begins Work on Development at Old Sainsbury's Slough Site
The Business Desk, Business Centre and Self-Storage Company Buys New Site in Major Expansion
The Daily Journal, Self-storage Facility Proposed on Claremont Street in San Mateo

CT Examiner, Old Lyme Zoning Votes Down Storage Project in Split Vote, Will Consider Moratorium

Pevious Sources:
The Sudbury Star, U-Haul Repurposing Sudbury Building That Sat Empty for Five Years
The Smithfield Times, Climate-Controlled Self-Storage Proposed for The Crossings
Global Newswire, SecureSpace Announces Opening of New Self-Storage Facility in Queens, New York
Newswire, Padlock Partners UK Fund Iv Completes Acquisition of Chippenham Property
Lootpress, Zoning Change for Construction of 175 Storage Unit Passes Through Huntington City Council
The Real Deal, Self-Storage Developer Plans New Hollywood Film Vault
New York Yimby, Public Storage Facility Completes Construction at 155 West 29th Street in Chelsea, Manhattan
News Times, Self-Storage Facility on Danbury’s West Side That’s Arousing Curiosity Opens in December
Construction Enquirer, Big Yellow Gets Go-Ahead for 114 Flats and Self Storage Hub
ShareCast, Big Yellow Given Green Light for New £56m Wapping Store
Patch, Boca Raton-based Basis Industrial Secures $12.1M Construction Loan for Self-Storage Facility
PR.com, West Coast Self-Storage Opens Storage Facility in San Diego County
PRWeb, Introducing Apple Self Storage's Innovative Unmanned Facility in St Marys, Ontario
Shropshire Star, Shropshire-Based 4M Expand Storage Facilities
Shurgard, Shurgard Increases Expansion Plan in Stuttgart (Germany)
Telegraph & Argus, Former Bradford Mill Site Could Become Self-Storage Business
The Business Desk, Former Land Rover Dealership Site Is Now a Self-Storage Facility
The Gilmer Mirror, Hwy 35 Storage Completes Site Expansion, Introduces Enhanced Storage Options
Times Argus, DRB Approves Self-Storage Project