Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: November 2023

Update 11/30/23 – 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 November 2023.

1784 Capital Holdings LLC received zoning approval to build a five-story self-storage facility in Revere, Massachusetts. The proposal for 195 American Legion Highway was granted after the developer added more landscaping to the design. 1784 also committed to cleaning up the area around the facility, including a ditch at the back of the property,

Asset Realty & Construction Group Inc. and affiliate Renard Management Inc. intend to build a self-storage facility on Route 518 in Montgomery, New Jersey. Plans call for a three-story, 123,295-square-foot building and a 9,907-square-foot, single-story structure. A use variance is required, as well as additional variances for building height and floor area. The property, which previously housed the Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments office building, was declared a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1983 due to the presence of volatile organic compounds in the groundwater. Doing business as Yonkers 300 LLC, Asset Realty acquired it in May 2022 for $2.6 million. The real estate development and investment firm is based in Brooklyn, New York. Renard is a management company based in Yonkers, New York.

Attic Self Storage, which operates five facilities in England, is expanding its Kings Cross, London, location, adding 20,000 square feet at 270-276 York Way. Once complete in March, the site will offer 108,000 square feet. The property will be rebranded as Hold Storage. Founded in 2006, Attic is family-owned and -operated. It also has two developments underway in Barking and Sunbury-on-Thames, England.

Development and real estate firm BDC Holdings Inc. is seeking zoning approval to build a self-storage facility in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The company purchased the 11.9-acre parcel at 2180 Berlin Turnpike from the Turgeon/Spain Families for $565,000 earlier this month. Plans include 84,920 square feet of traditional self-storage and outdoor vehicle storage. It’s unclear whether the existing two-story residential building will be demolished or repurposed. Founded in 2017 and based in White Plains, New York, BDC owns and operates industrial, office, residential, retail and self-storage properties in the Northeast.

Cinch Self Storage, which operates 14 locations in the United Kingdom, intends to build a new three-story facility in Chippenham, England. The project on A4 Bath Road will replace a former car dealership, which closed earlier this year. Existing structures will be demolished to make way for 5,394 square meters of storage. Cinch purchased the site in August. The company has created a website to gather feedback from residents and will host a webinar on the development on Dec. 5.

A public hearing will be held on Dec. 7 to discuss a self-storage development proposed for a 3.4-acre property at 61 Main Road in Riverhead, New York. If approved, the facility will be operated and branded by self-storage real estate investment trust Extra Space Storage Inc. Two single-family dwellings will be demolished and replaced by a two-story, 36,250-square-foot building. The zoning board of appeals granted a use variance in May. Extra Space operates more than 3,500 facilities in 43 states and Washington, D.C.

Mike Hebert, who owns Wintergreen Storage in Ashland, Wisconsin, intends to develop a second location in the city off Binsfield Road. The project will comprise 100 units across four buildings. Though the entrance will be paved, Hebert wants to gravel the drive aisles, which isn’t allowed under city code. He told planners at a preliminary meeting that paving the entire site is cost-prohibitive. Previous self-storage sites were allowed to use gravel, but an updated ordinance now requires a hard surface for driveways and access areas.

New St. Allentown LLC will revise the scope of its proposed self-storage development in Allentown, Pennsylvania, after members of the zoning hearing board expressed disapproval for the four-story building. The developer sought to build a 136,000-square-foot facility with about 445 units, but the size of the structure would have required variances for approval. New St. indicated it will submit new plans for a three-story facility offering about 320 units.

A self-storage development in Washtenaw County, Michigan, proposed by Justin Pingston was rejected by the zoning board. Pingston asked to change the undeveloped 25-acre property he owns from single-family residential to commercial. Plans included up to 19 single-story buildings. He also offered to donate half of the partially wooded parcel to the county for a public park. During an Oct. 25 public hearing, residents and members of the township planning commission voiced concerns about the project, calling its placement amid the mostly farmland area “jarring.” The commission voted 6-1 to recommend that the township council deny the rezoning, noting the development was inconsistent with its master plan. The council concurred with a 6-0 vote.

Sentry Self Storage Management opened a new location in North Boca Raton, Florida. The facility at 7021 N. Federal Highway comprises 93,000 square feet. Founded in 1997 and based in Coral Springs, Florida, Sentry has a portfolio of owned and managed properties encompassing about 1.7 million rentable square feet.

StorageMart, which operates more than 280 self-storage facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, opened a new location in Toms River, New Jersey. The building at 501 Corporate Circle comprises 82,800 rentable square feet in 956 units. Founded in 1999 and based in Columbia, Missouri, StorageMart has a portfolio of more than 24 million square feet.

Storage Sense, which operates more than 250 sites nationwide, opened a new location in York, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with commercial investment firms BAR Group, J.C. Bar and Triple Crown. The facility at 2537 E. Market St. comprises 21,731 square feet.

Storage Sense also opened a location in Jefferson, Georgia. The facility at 2421 GA-124 comprises 65,310 square feet in 299 units and includes outdoor vehicle parking. Both this property and the one in York, Pennsylvania, will be managed by Storage Asset Management, a self-storage property-management company.

StorAmerica intends to build a self-storage facility in McCordsville, Indiana. The company received planning approval to subdivide a parcel on the southeast corner of West Broadway and CR 750 N. into two lots. A 6-acre section at the back of the site will house a proposed 91,000-square-foot storage facility, while more than an acre at the front will be preserved for future office or commercial space. Though the development still requires approval, city staff determined self-storage was the most appropriate use for the back lot. StorAmerica is a participating regional operator of industry REIT National Storage Affiliates Trust.

An unnamed developer is seeking zoning approval to convert the former Cinedrive drive-in movie theater in Pefferlaw, Ontario, Canada, to self-storage. Plans for the property at 30944 Highway 48 include 12 buildings containing 600 units as well as outdoor vehicle storage. During a recent public hearing, the project received criticism from residents, who expressed concern about an increase in traffic to the area. Karen Wolfe, advocacy chair for Pefferlaw Area Residents, requested an independent traffic study be performed. No action was taken by the council.

11/21/23 – 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 November 2023.

Amazing Spaces, which operates five self-storage facilities in Texas, is opening a new location next month in the River Oaks suburb of Houston. The property at 3130 Southwest Freeway will offer storage units, vehicle storage, retail sales and truck rentals. The company is family-owned and -operated.

Basis Industrial is developing a self-storage facility in Melbourne, Florida. The building at 2560 Aurora Road will comprise 126,741 square feet in 955 climate-controlled units. It’ll be managed and branded by industry real estate investment trust (REIT) Extra Space Storage Inc. [Construction is expected to be complete next fall. Basis recently secured an $11 million construction loan from American Momentum Bank. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, the company has 15 self-storage projects under development nationwide.

Compass Self Storage LLC, a member of the Amsdell family of companies, opened a new location in Wildwood, Florida. The facility at 3402 N. US-301 comprises 82,000 net rentable square feet. Headquartered in Cleveland, Compass operates more than 100 facilities in 15 states.

Devon Self-Storage Holdings, a privately held self-storage operator and developer, and Inland Private Capital Corp. (IPC), a real estate investment manager, opened a conversion project in Springfield, Missouri. The former newspaper-processing facility at 651 N. Boonville Ave. comprises 81,500 square feet of storage in 731 units. Founded in 1998, Devon operates more than 100 facilities nationwide. IPC’s self-storage portfolio comprises 179 properties in 30 states.

Dunamis Development LLC has five self-storage facilities under construction that’ll comprise about 445,000 rentable square feet. All will be managed and branded by third-party management companies including REIT Extra Space. The projects are:

Founded in 2006 and based in Lebanon, Indiana, Dunamis is a real estate investment and development firm that specializes in ground-up development and building conversions primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. It has experience in the hospitality, medical, office, retail and self-storage sectors.

DXD Capital broke ground on a new self-storage facility in the Northeast Heights neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The three-story building at 8041 Ventura St. will comprise 96,153 square feet in 819 units. It’s designed by GMA Architects Inc., with ARCO/Murray Design Build serving as general contractor. It’ll be managed and branded by REIT Extra Space. Based in Albuquerque, DXD is a real estate and private-equity firm that leverages data technology to make opportunistic investments.

The Henrico County, Virginia, Planning Commission recommended approval for a mixed-use development proposed by General Land Co. LLC that would include a three-story self-storage facility. The project at the southwest corner of Mountain and Woodman Roads would also include about 11,000 square feet of retail space for four tenants. The application will next be heard by the Henrico Board of Supervisors, which has final approval.

LSC Development LLC completed construction of a self-storage facility in Hicksville, New York. The three-story building at 550 W. Old Country Road comprises 110,861 rentable square feet in 1,493 units. It was designed by Mancini Mui Architecture, with Pinnacle Commercial Development serving as contractor. Construction financing was secured from Centier Bank. The facility will be managed and branded by Extra Space. Based in Barrington, Illinois, LSC focuses on the acquisition, development and ownership of commercial properties including self-storage.

Safeguard Self Storage, which operates more than 80 facilities nationwide, expanded its location in Seffner, Florida. The site at 1615 S. Kingsway Road now features an additional 26,400 square feet in 53 vehicle-parking spaces, 38 of which are covered and offer electrical hookups. The facility also contains 515 climate-controlled self-storage units.

Sheyenne Ltd. is expanding its Indoor Self Storage location on Collingwood Road in Dartmouth, England. Financed with a £2.25 million loan from Cynergy Bank, the project will add 17,000 rentable square feet, bringing the site’s capacity up to 29,700 square feet. Sheyenne also operates an Indoor site in Totnes, England.

SmartStop Self Storage REIT Inc., which operates more than 190 properties in 22 U.S. states and Toronto, opened a new location in San Gabriel, California. The three-story building at 5216 Walnut Grove Ave. comprises 78,000 square feet in 790 units.

Stein Investment Group, which operates the Space Shop Self Storage brand, received a special-use permit and rezoning approval to develop a facility in James City County, Virginia. The three-story building at 4399 John Tyler Memorial Highway will comprise approximately 100,000 square feet in about 700 units. Based in Atlanta, Stein operates more than 2.8 million rentable square feet of self-storage.

Storelocal, which operates nearly 90 self-storage facilities across 18 states, broke ground on a new project in Surprise, Arizona. The property at 12465 N. Autoshow Ave. will comprise approximately 178,000 square feet in about 1,000 units. Expected to open in the spring of 2025, it’ll include large RV bays and drive-up units.

The development is spearheaded by AJ Osborne, CEO of real estate investment firm Cedar Creek Capital. Additional partners include Arizona Congressmember Barry Goldwater Jr., entrepreneur Ken Pinckard and HGTV television personality Tarek El Moussa.

San Antonio-based SurePoint Development, a privately held real estate investment company, purchased a self-storage facility under construction in Fulshear, a suburb of Houston. Expected to be complete in spring, the single-story building near the intersection of FM 1093 and Texas Heritage Parkway will comprise 83,000 net rentable square feet in 651 units. SurePoint operates two facilities in Kansas and 11 in Texas.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is developing a self-storage facility in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Plans for the 4-acre property at 4401 25th Ave. include a multi-story building comprising 100,000 square feet in 700 indoor units. It’s expected to open in about a year. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 82 million square feet of storage space nationwide.

Developer Steven Yenowitz, owner of Ventnor Holdings LLC, is seeking permission to convert a building he owns in Ventnor City, New Jersey, to self-storage. Plans for the 2.9-acre site on Wellington Avenue include demolishing half of the existing structure but retaining the Dollar General store. The storage facility will offer indoor units and outdoor vehicle-storage spaces. The planning board will review the project at its Dec. 13 meeting.

11/17/23 – A special-use permit requested by 1784 Capital Holdings LLC to build a five-story self-storage facility in Revere, Massachusetts, will remain with the city council’s zoning subcommittee after officials raised concerns about the building’s size. The structure would be about 60 feet tall, which is the maximum height allowed in the district. Though city councilmembers appreciated the developer’s commitment to mirror the design of the nearby Mumney Marsh Academy, they were hesitant to approve such a large project, which would contain about 1,000 units.

“When you see a building of that magnitude, it’s going to hit you,” said councilmember Gerry Visconti. “I just think that it is a very big building that is going to be very close to the street. I don’t know why there are so many units and why it has to go up that high.”

Matthew Costa, senior project manager for Beal Associates Inc., the engineering firm representing 1784 Capital Holdings, explained a specific size had to be reached to make the project financially feasible. If the development had fewer floors, variances for rear and side setbacks would be needed to expand the width.

Following more discussion, the hearing was tabled for a future meeting. The property is zoned for industrial use, which would also allow automotive repair, gas stations, manufacturing and parking.

11/9/23 – 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 November 2023.

713 Co. and Vytautas Paulius intend to build a self-storage facility on a 3.4-acre lot in Bridgewater, New Jersey. The 129,287-square-foot project at 1661 Route 22 would replace an existing office building. The development requires a use variance and other exceptions for floor-area ratio, impervious coverage, building height and rear-yard setback. The zoning board is scheduled to discuss the special use on Nov. 14.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based 1784 Capital Holdings LLC intends to develop a self-storage facility in Revere, Massachusetts. The five-story project at 195 American Legion Highway will be designed to look like the Mumney Marsh Academy across the street. The developer recently received variance approval from the zoning board of appeals to raze existing structures, but the city council must still review their request for a special-use permit. The city’s conservation committee previously approved the delineation of wetlands boundaries on site. The council’s zoning subcommittee is scheduled to discuss the project again on Nov. 13.

1074649 BC Ltd. received the second of four approvals for a self-storage development in the Brentwood neighborhood of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The 872-unit facility at 3945 Myrtle St. would be targeted to business customers. As proposed, it would include two levels of underground parking as well as a 2,187-square-foot communal space on the fifth floor equipped with a kitchen, washroom, lounge area, coffee bar and meeting room. There would also be an outdoor area with amenities. Council members have debated whether it’s the best use for the industrial site. 1074649 BC is led by Tony Russo, who owns a self-storage facility in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Aberdeen Management & Development and The Mangat Group opened Arizona Self Storage in Peoria, Arizona. The four-story building at 9275 W. Olive Ave. offers 875 units. The operator has nine facilities in the state. Aberdeen specializes in self-storage development and third-party management in Arizona, California and Utah. Based in Peoria, The Mangat Group was founded by Tony Mangat, who’s part owner of the property and owned the land.

Basis Industrial opened a self-storage facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The three-story building at 5 Resnik Road comprises 111,000 square feet in 806 climate-controlled units. It’ll be managed by industry real estate investment trust (REIT) Public Storage Inc. and branded under its name. Basis purchased the 2.1-acre property for $3.5 million from a private seller in an off-market transaction. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Basis has 15 self-storage projects under development nationwide.

REIT CubeSmart completed two conversion projects in Burton and Flint, Michigan. The facility at 1145 N. Belsay Road in Burton opened last week in a former Kmart. The site offers 106,000 square feet. The other site is a conversion of a former Target store at 3701 Lapeer Road in Flint. Based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, CubeSmart owns or manages 1,374 self-storage facilities across the United States. Its operating portfolio comprises 94 million square feet.

Devon Self Storage Holdings and Inland Private Capital Corp. opened their conversion project in Warren, Michigan. The former manufacturing center at 23745 Mound Road now offers 87,000 square feet of storage in 807 units. A second phase will add drive-up and vehicle storage to the remaining land and parking area. Founded in 1988, Devon operates more than 100 facilities nationwide. Formed in 2011, Inland owns 178 commercial and multi-family properties across 30 states.

REIT Extra Space Storage Inc. received zoning permission to add a building to its property at 4536 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte, Florida. Designed by architect David M. Davenport, the single-story, 16,000-square-foot structure will be erected on land currently used for vehicle storage. The existing three-story, 89,000-square-foot building was constructed in 2018. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Extra Space owns or operates more than 3,651 self-storage facilities nationwide under the Extra Space and Life Storage brand names.

Scott Matheny opened HomeTown Storage in Ellisville, Mississippi, on land he purchased in 2021. The property at 21 Warrior Road comprises a 900-square-foot office and 164 units, 82 of which are climate-controlled. It also includes a 2,100-square-foot laundromat.

Hunt Midwest is developing a new StorTropolis location in Olathe, Kansas. Designed and built by Strickland Construction, the self-storage facility at 601 N. Millridge St. will comprise 112,987 rentable square feet in 867 units. It’ll be managed by Storage Asset Management, a property-management and consulting company that operates more than 590 self-storage facilities nationwide. This will be the sixth StorTropolis location opened by Hunt since it launched the brand in 2018. The company specializes in commercial, industrial, multi-family, retail, residential and senior-housing projects. It’s part of a diverse portfolio of entities owned by the Hunt Family, which includes the Kansas City Chiefs.

Insite Property Group, the parent company of SecureSpace Self Storage, opened a new location in Richmond, California. The multi-story building at 1014 Chesley Ave. comprises 120,079 square feet of storage. It also offers 280 vehicle-storage spaces. Based in Redondo Beach, California, InSite has more than 50 facilities in operation or under construction.

Menards, a Wisconsin-based home-improvement chain that also builds and operates self-storage facilities, may soon be able resume construction on its storage development in Ontario, Ohio. The city issued a stop-work order about four months ago due to erosion and sediment issues at the Walker Lake Road site. Excess dirt was stockpiled on the east and west sides of the property, which wasn’t approved by officials, and debris wound up on neighboring parcels. Menards laid down seed and straw to help prevent further runoff and is in discussions with the municipality on how to comply with city code. Officials indicated they might lift the work stoppage while adding further conditions to the project. The project was approved as a conditional use. Menards operates 11 self-storage facilities in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Pogoda Cos., which operates 68 National Storage Centers locations, completed the second phase of its self-storage facility in Charlevoix, Michigan. The company converted the former Kmart at 6600 M-66 last year. A building with drive-up units and covered vehicle-storage parking has been added. Based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Pogoda operates more than 4.5 million square feet of self-storage space in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.

Safeguard Self Storage, which operates more than 80 properties in six states, opened a new location in Yonkers, New York. The facility at 390 Riverdale Ave. comprises 120,000 net rentable square feet in 1,586 climate-controlled units.

Shurgard Self Storage Ltd., the European affiliate of U.S.-based REIT Public Storage Inc., opened a new location in Chadwell Heath, East London, England. The six-story building at 83 Freshwater Road comprises 73,194 square feet in 1,000 units.

Shurgard also received planning permission to develop a self-storage facility in Dusseldorf, Germany. Slated to open next year, the building will comprise 62,430 square feet in 750 units. Shurgard operates 275 self-storage properties comprising 1.4 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Store More Self Storage is converting the former Wickes building in Mansfield, England. The new location at 134 Chesterfield Road S. will comprise 30,000 square feet. It’s expected to be complete this month. The company operates three self-storage facilities in England and Wales.

An unnamed developer intends to build a self-storage facility on a 7.5-acre parcel in Windsor, Colorado. The pre-approved, single-story project at 340 Crossroads Blvd. is expected to comprise 78,550 square feet. A local investment group with a history of self-storage development in the region recently acquired the site from a local developer. The sale was brokered by Thomas Parsons and Adam Schlosser, investment specialists for the LeClaire-Schlosser Group of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate investment firm with offices throughout Canada and the United States.

New Sources:
PRWeb, Storelocal Storage and Cedar Creek Capital Break Ground on New Self Storage Facility Development in Surprise, Arizona
Yahoo Finance, Cedar Creek Capital Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Storage Facility in Surprise, Arizona
Albuquerque Business First, DXD Capital Breaks Ground on Self-Storage Facility in Northeast Heights
Community Impact, Amazing Spaces Updates Projected Opening of Storage Facility in River Oaks
ConnectCRE, IPC Delivers Self-Storage Property in Springfield
Daily Independent, Storelocal Surprise Breaks Ground in City
Daily Press, JCC Approves Storage Facility on Route 5
Downbeach, Ventnor to Consider Self-Storage Facility at Wellington Avenue Gateway
Global Newswire, Compass Self Storage Announces the Opening of Brand-New, High-Tech Storage Center in Wildwood, Florida
Henrico Citizen, Henrico Planners Endorse Planned Storage Facility, Warehouses
Off Plan Property Exchange, New Storage Facility Opens in San Gabriel, California
Patch, Basis Industrial Closes on $11M Construction Loan for Self-Storage Facility
PR.com, New Storage Facility Opened in Hicksville, NY
REBusiness Online, SurePoint Development Agrees to Buy 651-Unit Self-Storage Facility in Fulshear, Texas
Vernon Matters, U-Haul Establishing Vernon Storage Operation
HBJ Hartford Business, Berlin Turnpike Property Sold for Self-Storage Development
Riverhead Local, Public Hearings Set on Main Road Self-Storage Facility, Roanoke Avenue Mini-Golf Expansion
Michigan Live, Rezoning for Washtenaw County Self-Storage Fails After Residents Call It ‘Jarring’
Central Penn Business Journal, York Storage Facility Offers Temperature-Controlled Space
York Region, Proposed 600-Unit Storage Facility in Pefferlaw Prompts Concerns About Traffic, Municipal Servicing
Revere Journal, Council Approves Special Permits for Apartment, Self-Storage Projects
Ashland Daily Press, Storage Facility Proposed for Binsfield
Daily Reporter, McCordsville Plan Commission Approves Primary Plat for Self-Storage Unit
Gazette & Herald, Cinch Plan to Build New Storage Facility on A4 Site in Chippenham
Lehigh Valley News, Plans for 4-Story Self-Storage Facility Shelved by Allentown Officials
PR Newswire, Innovative Storage Provider StorageMart Opens Doors to New Facility in Toms River, NJ
Yahoo Finance, Cedar Creek Capital Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Storage Facility in Surprise, Arizona
Yahoo News, Developer Targeting Montgomery Site That’s Been Vacant for Decades. Here’s What’s Planned

Previous Sources:
Burnaby Now, Misuse of Land or Lifeline for Small Businesses? Controversial Burnaby Self-Storage Facility Planned
Chad, From Hull to Wrexham and now Mansfield: First Look Inside Family Storage Business at Former Wickes Site
Connect CRE, Vacant Facility Converted into Michigan Self-Storage Property
Daily Independent, Arizona Self Storage Opens Facility in Peoria
Globe Newswire, SecureSpace Announces Opening of New Self-Storage Facility in the San Francisco Bay Area
Gulfshore Business, Extra Space Storage Receives Approval for Addition in Port Charlotte
Leader Call, Businessman Merges Storage, Laundry for New Facility in Ellisville
Michigan Live, Two New CubeSmart Locations Open Inside Former Target, Kmart Stores
Multi-Housing News, Basis Industrial Opens Boston-Area Storage Facility
REBusiness Online, Hunt Midwest to Build New StorTropolis Self-Storage Facility in Olathe, Kansas
Revere Journal, American Legion Highway Storage Facility Proposal Heads to Zoning Subcommittee
Revere Journal, ZBA Approves Variances for Self-Storage Facility
Richland Source, Ontario City Council Prepared to Lift Stop Work Order on Menards Self Storage
The Patch, Boca Raton-Based Basis Industrial Opens Climate Controlled Self-Storage Facility in Plymouth, MA
Yahoo News, Another Route 22 Office Building in Bridgewater Targeted for Demolition. What's proposed?
Revere Journal, Concerns Raised About Size of Proposed Storage Facility