Firefighters in Wakefield, N.H., battled a two-alarm blaze Thursday at Sensible Self Storage. Route 16 was closed to one lane shortly after the fire due to several fire crews from nearby towns. The fire call came in around 10 a.m. No injuries were reported.
 
Source:  UnionLeader.com,  Firefighters Battle Storage Building Fire

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Despite city approval to convert a former mattress facility in North Arlington, N.J., into self-storage units, the building has remained dormant for years while the owners meet with potential developers.

The building, formerly home to Spring Air Mattress, has fallen into disrepair over the years, with broken windows, peeling paint and exposed wires. The current owners, Paul and Larry Bagoon, first proposed the storage units, but are now seeking another developer. Integral Properties LLC met with the city zoning board in early January, but no plans have been set.

The Bagoons have been penalized for property maintenance violations at the factory, according to a borough construction official. The violations included landscaping issues such as weeds, leaves and general upkeep.

Last year, the borough's council passed an ordinance to shorten the time before a developer's planning approval or zoning variance expires from two years to one. However, the state passed the Permit Extension Act of 2008, which gave developers extensions for permits, and supersedes the North Arlington ordinance.

Source:  NewJersey.com,  Two Developments in Borough May Bring Storage, Housing to Borough

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The victims of a self-storage break-in at I-20 Self-Storage in McDuffie County, Ga., are offering a $500 cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

The theft happened between Dec. 20 and Jan. 9, investigators say. The burglars netted $18,000 worth of property, including furniture and appliances. The items were in the unit since September.

Investigators have had few leads and hope a reward will prompt information about the theft. Anyone with information can contact the
McDuffie County Sheriff's Department at 706.595.2040.
 
Source:  McDuffie Mirror,  Reward Offered in Storage Unit Theft

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A developer is hoping to turn a row of vacant offices in Capitola, Calif., into a self-storage facility with 394 units.

Redtree Properties will ask the city council to consider the proposal Thursday. Although the planning commission supports the plan, city zoning doesn’t allow self-storage facilities. The city would need to amend the neighborhood commercial zone or rezone the area to allow the development.

Some business owners located in the Nob Hill shopping center question whether self-storage is the right fit for the 85,620-square-foot plaza. The office complex, which has been vacant for more than a year, encompasses 37,232 square feet of space.

Redtree Properties anticipates the project would cost $1 million to $1.5 million to build. A consultant on the proposed self-storage development said there is demand for a new facility.

Source:  Santa Cruz Sentinel,  Redtree Wants Self-Storage to Fill Empty Space in Capitola 

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Self-Storage Talk: Where/When Is the Next Big Growth for Self-Storage?

In a few short weeks, thousands of professionals will be gathered at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, the industry’s largest conference and tradeshow, looking for the information, products and services they need to propel their self-storage business through the year ahead. When it comes to tradeshows, many attendees assume the exhibit hall is all about sales. Not so. Our exhibitors harbor a wealth of industry knowledge, and in a challenging business environment, they can be one of your best sources of ideas and guidance.

It’s true every self-storage business requires certain products and services to operate: security equipment, management software, marketing materials, a website, retail merchandise, insurance and much more. These items are necessary to customer service, corporate branding and a facility’s overall success. But the suppliers who work with managers and operators just like you every day understand the unique challenges you face―and what you need to surmount them. Discussing your goals with experts face to face is a fantastic strategy for gathering insight.

The ISS Expo at the Paris Hotel & Resort, March 1-3, is the ideal venue for this mission. There you can meet with more than 150 of the industry’s top vendors representing a highly diverse range of offerings. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, demo products and collect valuable information. Here’s a sample of the type of knowledge to be gained from exhibitors: 

On Management Software

Allow yourself and your staff several weeks to become familiar with new management software. Many mistakes, negative feelings toward the new software and frustration can be avoided if you take a little time. A good software should be powerful enough to assist with all facets of your self-storage operation and easy to use.  It should not be cumbersome or require a lot of computer experience to operate.

―David Essman, Director of Marketing, Sentinel Systems Corp., Booth #301 

On Facility Sales

Only one out of five employees asks for the order when he answers the phone or deals with customers face to face. Want to make a difference in your gross rented units? Train your employees to ask for the business! Capture every contact name, phone number and e-mail so you can keep in contact cheaply for when customers need rental space the next time.

―Steve Leach, CEO, Shoppers’ View, Booth #629

On Web Design

Time for a website redesign? Be sure to plan ahead. Designing a website from scratch is often easier then redesigning a current one. With the time it takes to get good search position, you don’t want to eliminate URLs that are ranked currently. Before you start, make sure you: create a list of what you have now, decide what you will keep and what you won’t, and finally, create a 301 redirect for anything from anything discontinued to the new page.

―Christopher Baird, CEO, Automatit Inc., Booth #429

On Real Estate

The market for selling self-storage properties is improving. Capitalization rates are range from 8.5 percent to 10 percent, based on a true trailing 12 months of net operating income, with adjustments for a 6 percent management fee and taxes/insurance. Borrowing is still difficult but not impossible, particularly for low-leverage deals. Consider selling before a loan comes due.

―RK Kliebenstein, President, Coast-To-Coast Storage, Booth #501 

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to get direction from the industry’s top consultants, builders, software engineers, architects, brokers, insurance agents, marketing specialists, sales trainers, security experts, financiers, attorneys and others. The ISS exhibit hall is an all-encompassing classroom for industry, in-the-trenches know-how.

Created for self-storage industry owners, managers, developers, investors and suppliers, the ISS Expo comprises three days of educational seminars, product and service exhibits, and networking opportunities. It will take place at the Paris Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas, March 1-3. The event focuses on strategies for generating revenue and perfecting business branding in a demanding economic environment. When the going gets tough, the tough turn to the ISS Expo!

For details and to view a complete list of exhibitors, visit www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com. 

Save money while you can! 

It’s not too late to take advantage of pre-registration discounts! Register for the ISS Expo today and save up to 22 percent on our education packages and add-on workshops. Offerings include: 

• Standard Education Package
• New Premium Package
• Expo-Hall Package
• Legal Learning Live
• Marketing and Sales Boot Camp
• Management Workshop
• Developers Seminar

Learn more and register at www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com.

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Easy Self Storage of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., and International Firefighters Assistance Inc. (IFA) are hosting a donation drive to benefit people of Haiti who have been devastated by the recent earthquakes. The companies are collecting donations of medical supplies, emergency kits, tents, water and canned goods for distribution by the IFA.
 
A disaster-relief team is already on the ground in Haiti awaiting the much-needed supplies. Donations can be made at Easy Self Storage or any Palm Beach County fire station.

IFA was established in 2008 as a non-profit organization to provide education and training to firefighters and emergency-rescue workers in underprivileged countries. One of IFA’s primary roles is to distribute donated firefighting, EMS and public-safety equipment to countries in need. Currently, the organization’s efforts are on focused in The Republic of Haiti, with hopes of helping its people develop a secure emergency-response system.
 
Easy Self Storage and U-Haul is a privately owned and operated self-storage company serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

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Uncle Bob’s Self Storage opened in Richmond, Va., Oct. 2 with 102,000 square feet, 79,000 of which is rentable. Of Uncle Bob’s 622 units, 298 are climate-controlled. Another 210 units have Dri-guard humidity control, which helps prevent mold, mildew, mites, rust, paper rot, and degradation of wood by maintaining low humidity. The centrally controlled air system is continuously monitored for humidity levels.

The business is owned and developed by Sovran Self Storage Inc. and managed by Jessica Biurra, manager, and Laurie Horner, associate manager.
 
Construction Snapshot
General Contractor: Landmark Interest Corp.
Software Supplier: QuikStor
Security Supplier: DigiTech International Inc. (Chamberlain)
Architect: Edgecomb & Associates Inc.
 
More About the Facility

The property was purchased with an approved site plan, but was later significantly modified to better reflect Uncle Bob’s design criteria and specifications. The design of the various buildings incorporates a great deal of residential features such as asphalt shingle roofs, brick faces, stucco facades and multiple windows. This allowed the project to fit in well with the existing businesses and surrounding homes.

The immediate area (1 to 2 miles) is highly developed commercial and retail with a small percentage of residential. The area also includes many strip malls, restaurants and large box retailers. Hull Street is a heavily traveled major thoroughfare that’s exploding with new development, both business and residential. Chesterfield County has relatively new growth with more planned.

In the Richmond market, this is the first ground-up facility for Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage and Landmark’s second development.  The facility has an approved site plan for a 40,000-square-foot phase-two expansion, which will begin upon stabilized leaseup of the existing facility.

To help attract and retain commercial customers, Uncle Bob’s offers a professional conference room for business meetings. The facility also features individual door alarms, an intercom system, keypad security system restricting floor access to approved users, a state-of-the-art security system that allows managers to monitor customer activity, free truck use, and a full suite of moving and storage merchandise.

“We’re excited about the look and feel of our newest location,” says Sovran CEO Robert J. Attea. “Built with the community in mind, our newest location doesn’t look like a traditional storage property. Rather, it resembles an office building or extended stay hotel.”   

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BETCO Inc., a Statesville, N.C.-based self-storage manufacturer, added two representatives to its sales force.

Douglas Nakagawa joins the company with territory responsibilities in the Northwest United States, Alaska and Hawaii, and three Canadian provinces. Prior to joining BETCO, Nakagawa was a division manager of a high-end cabinet manufacturing company and sales rep for a self-storage supplier.

Hugo Madrical will handle sales in Southeastern Texas. Before joining BETCO, Madrical was with ProBuild and South Texas Moulding, both located in Laredo, Texas.

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Self-Storage Talk: State of the Industry Part II: Finance and Construction

A comprehensive Roundtable Discussion program covering nearly 30 industry topics has been unveiled for the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, March 1-3. On Monday, March 1, experts from all aspects of the self-storage field will assemble at the Paris Hotel & Resort to meet with show attendees in an intimate setting that allows them to answer questions and converse in a meaningful way. Topics to be addressed include:

• Building a Great Self-Storage Website
• Self-Storage Facility Maintenance: Keeping It Fresh
• New Sales Tactics for Today’s Self-Storage Shoppers
• Tracking Your Marketing Strategies: How Much Are You Really Spending?
• Using Customer-Relationship Management in Self-Storage
• Super-Size Your Self-Storage Operation―The Easy Way
• Creative Self-Storage Marketing: Rent More Units!
• What the Heck Does That Mean? Computer Reports Made Easy
• Creating an Automated Self-Storage Facility: Kiosks and More
• Boat and RV Storage: The Basics of Construction and Development

Created for self-storage owners, managers, developers, investors and suppliers, the ISS Expo comprises three days of educational seminars, product and service exhibits, and networking opportunities. The event focuses on strategies for generating revenue and perfecting business branding in a demanding economic environment. 

For details and to register, visitwww.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com.

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