The Clearwater, Fla., City Council appears to favor granting a zoning exception to property owner Savelle Clearwater Countryside LLC that would allow self-storage to be developed on the site of a former Denny’s restaurant. The move is controversial because the property at 26489 U.S. Route 19 is within a section of the city zoned for high-wage employment and transit-supported uses like offices, restaurants and retail. The council voted 3-2 on Oct. 18 to give its initial approval and is expected to take a final vote on amending the community-development code for the .75-acre site on Thursday.

Savelle is under contract to sell the property to Broome Capital LLC, pending project approval by the city. Broome intends to build 85,000 square feet of storage in 800 units. The developer has also pledged to include 3,200 square feet of retail space along the front of the storage building, a source reported.

The council’s support contradicts the recommendation of city staff and runs contrary to the municipality’s U.S. 19 development plan. The U.S. 19 corridor is divided into three sub-districts, covering seven miles, though Savelle’s request applies only to small parcels .75 acres to .9 acres in size, which essentially covers the Denny’s site and one nearby restaurant, according to sources.

“The idea we would somehow consider 3,200 square feet of a coffee shop or retail having some economic viability consistent with what our goals for U.S. 19 are just can’t be taken seriously,” said Michael Delk, planning and development director.

The council could grant the special exception in part because Savelle has been unsuccessful in finding another business use to redevelop the property, which has been vacant since 2015. Though 43 businesses have looked at the site, it’s landlocked with a Dick’s Sporting Goods to the rear and is difficult to access. Drivers must exit the highway on a frontage road before the site is visible, according to Brian Aungst Jr., an attorney representing Savelle.

“Objectively, what we’re proposing is better than what’s there,” Aungst told the community development board last month. “What’s there is almost impossible to get rid of under the current plan based on the site dynamics.”

Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton is among those in favor of the plan. “I know the property owner has made efforts to put something there, but he hasn’t been able to entice anybody,” Hamilton said. “This is the best option that’s come forward.”

The situation is reminiscent to the council’s support of a Budget Self Storage project from StorCon Development LLC in April. In that instance, the council ignored a denial recommendation to approve a zoning change for a 76,000-square-foot storage facility on Duncan Avenue.

Based in Tampa, Broome Capital pursues urban-infill development of luxury townhomes, single-family rentals and self-storage. Its family of companies includes Icon Residential, Proluxe Properties and Storage City. 

Sources:
Tampa Bay Times, Clearwater Council on Track to Approve Another Self Storage Facility, Despite Plans That Say They Don't Belong
Tampa Bay Newspapers, Clearwater Council Majority Ignores Pleas by Planners to Not Allow Self-Storage in Top Tier of U.S. 19

Parsons Containers Ltd., a U.K.-based provider of portable-storage containers that also operates self-storage facilities under the U Hold The Key brand, has secured an £825,000 investment from venture-capital firm Maven Capital Partners UK LLP. Parsons will use the money to boost its digital presence and expand nationally. It intends to open four new U Hold locations in the next 12 months, according to the source.

The investment combined contributions from two funds managed by Maven. The Finance Durham Fund invested £500,000, while the North East Development Capital Fund contributed £325,000, the source reported. The capitalization is the first joint investment between Maven’s two Northeast England regional funds.

“I am pleased that Maven is demonstrating confidence in the business with this investment,” said Ean Parsons, founder and managing director of the container and storage business. “It will enable us to take advantage of existing opportunities, and I am sure that we will repay this faith by strengthening our business in Durham County and the Northeast.”

Founded in 2000, Parsons Containers is headquartered in Sedgefield, England. It operates 11 U Hold The Key self-storage locations.

Source:
BDaily News, County Durham Container Business Targets Self-Storage Expansion With £825K Funding

Storage Deluxe, a Manhattan, N.Y.-based self-storage owner and developer, last week unveiled a mural at its new facility in Hoboken, N.J., that celebrates three important women from the community. The 150-foot-by-35-foot artwork at 1312 Adams St. was created by Jersey City artist Distort and features Dorothea Lange, Dorothy McNeil and Maria Pepe.

“This mural is the result of a successful collaboration with the city that has been three years in the making,” said Reid Weppler, vice president of development with Storage Deluxe. “We're excited to open our new store in the neighborhood and be part of the community.”

Lange was a Depression-era photographer who documented rural poverty and the United States interment of the Japanese during World War II. McNeil and her husband, Charles, owned and operated Club Zanzibar, where musical acts such as Kool and the Gang, Mille Jackson, The Manhattan Transfer and Wilson Pickett performed. Pepe was one of the first girls to play Little League baseball. Her participation also led to the creation of Little League Softball.

“It is a blessing to be able to be a part of and to experience seeing a mural that reflects on Hoboken's history and commitment to provide so many recreational opportunities to all children living here today,” Pepe said.

The mural also contains two dock workers, showcasing the city’s industrial period. “In this mural, I wanted to honor Hoboken’s history as a working-class and artistic city by representing the people and places that gave it it's character,” Distort said.

Golden Artist Colors Inc. and Jerry's Artist Outlet donated the paint and other materials for the project. “My wife Barbara and I love this city,” said Mark Golden, a founder of Golden Artist. “It has provided us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy all the area has to offer. We are delighted our company can participate in this amazing mural project.”

Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and other city officials attended the Oct. 25 unveiling ceremony. “This is an exciting project that will breathe new life into the area,” he said. “This mural is a great tribute to some of Hoboken's favorite daughters who made tremendous impacts on their community and the country.”

Founded in 1998, Storage Deluxe has developed 62 projects totaling approximately 5 million square feet, including 42 self-storage facilities, three art-storage facilities, 58,000 square feet of retail, and an exotic car-storage property. Its current portfolio is managed by self-storage real estate investment trust CubeSmart.

Source:
NJ.com, Massive Mural Pays Tribute to Three Hoboken Heroes

Update 10/31/18 – The Natchez Group has opened Highway 31 Storage in Thompson Station, Tenn. The property at 4792 Columbia Ave. comprises 55,000 net rentable square feet in 492 climate-controlled units.

The facility is near other businesses and less than a mile from Sarah Benson Park. It’s also within three miles of housing complexes Amergin, Spring Hill Village Apartments and The Villages at Spring Hill.

It’ll be managed by Absolute Storage Management (ASM), a self-storage owner and property-management firm. Founded in 2002, ASM operates more than 100 properties in 15 states. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., it has regional offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; and Nashville, Tenn.

---

3/10/17 – Self-storage developer The Natchez Group has purchased nearly 2 acres of land in Spring Hill, Tenn., on which it plans to build a three-story self-storage facility. Acquired for $760,000, the land straddles Maury and Williamson Counties. The project will be the first multi-story self-storage building in the city, according to the source. Construction will begin next month, with the site opening early next year.

The property at 4796 Main St./Columbia Pike is across from Heritage Middle School in the town of Thompson's Station. The Spring Hill Planning Commission approved the site plan for the 75,000-square-foot facility about a year ago, the source reported. It will be designed by Lowen + Associates LLC, a Nashville, Tenn.-based architect. Reliant Bank provided the construction financing.

"We love the Spring Hill growth story," said Taylor Preston, principal of Natchez. "We love the huge visibility and traffic this site will generate. This is a long-term location for us, and we're very excited to be getting started."

Natchez has several other projects underway in Tennessee, including a 108,000-square-foot facility at 500 Downs Blvd. in Franklin and an eight-story property at 825 Third Ave. S. near downtown Nashville. Both are being developed in a joint venture with Atlas Real Estate Partners, a New York-based private investment firm.

The Natchez Group focuses on self-storage development and investments in Central Tennessee and the Southeast. In the past four years, the company has been involved in more than 500,000 square feet of self-storage projects.

Construction will soon begin on Gastonia Self-Storage in Gastonia, N.C. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot facility will be on the northeast corner of Gaston Day School and Hoffman Roads, near existing restaurants and retail stores. The $8.83 million project will be built by Griffco Design/Build Inc. of Kennesaw, Ga., and is expected to open next year, according to the source.

Pearson Properties purchased the 19-acre plot in 2002 with the intent to build 25,000 square feet of retail and office space. It also briefly considered building a grocery store on the land, but company co-owner Joe Pearson said the space wasn’t adequate, the source reported.

The Gastonia Planning Commission approved a zoning change last year to allow self-storage. The property’s topography and its boundary with Catawba Creek have likely made it difficult to develop, said Jason Thompson, senior planner for the city.

Source:
Gaston Gazette, Construction to Begin Soon on Hoffman Road Self-Storage Complex

 

A former Ultra Foods grocery store in Gary, Ind., could be converted to self-storage. Midwest Self-Storage Development LLC intends to transform the 69,000-square-foot retail property on Ridge Road. The retail property includes a Menards home-improvement store and a few smaller businesses that could remain onsite, according to the source.

If approved, the self-storage facility would feature only indoor units. “You won’t see 50 or 60 garage doors all in a row; they’ll be indoors, with access to the premises controlled through a single entrance,” Todd Leeth, an attorney representing Midwest, recently told the common council. “We actually think those rows of garage doors are ugly. This will be better looking for the community.”

The project has been recommended for approval by the board of zoning appeals, despite the submission of a petition with 600 signatures opposed to the development. Leeth told the council he believes many of the signatures are “suspect,” the source reported. Some community members would like another grocery store to go into the space, but an Aldi’s grocery store is within a block of the site, according to Leeth.

“This really is a good way to repurpose a building like this,” Leeth said. “It’s difficult to find replacements to fill the space that was once a big-box store.”

Midwest wants Menards to sign a new lease to stay in the center after its current agreement expires next year. The developer is also open to having the other small businesses remain. One caveat to that plan, though, is Midwest may want them to move into a new structure, so it can convert the one they’re in to administrative offices for the self-storage operation, Leeth told the council.

Midwest is based in Valparaiso, Ind.

Source:
Chicago Tribune, Developer Wants to Turn Former Gary Supermarket Into Storage Units

Lock Stock Self-Storage, which operates 18 container-based self-storage facilities in Wales, plans to triple the capacity of its location on Ruabon Road in Wrexham. The site will grow from 60 units to 180.

Lock Stock has spent £100,000 on clearing the site, which it acquired two years ago. It installed a tarmac surface, security fencing, cameras and lighting. The development is part of an ongoing expansion across the company’s facilities in North Wales, with the goal of reaching 3,000 containers by the end of the year, according to the source.

“We recently carried out a similar expansion at our Saltney site and, like all our developments, it has been an organic expansion because we have seen a considerable increase in enquiries in this area recently and we have responded,” said company director Nick Powell.

Area manager Jeff Woods is overseeing the Ruabon Road expansion. “We have, this year, opened a new site in Holyhead and increased capacity at Saltney and Mold as well as at our sites at Llandudno Junction, Bangor and Oswestry.”

Lock Stock is family-operated and owns 2,700 storage containers. Based in Denbigh, its properties are spread throughout 12 North Wales cities.

Source:
The Free Press, Denbigh Self-Storage Firm Enjoys Expansion at Sister Plant

Self-storage operators sometimes encounter tenants who are loud, obnoxious, rude or leave behind a mess when moving in or out of a facility. A simple reminder about property rules will usually get them in line. However, when the behavior comes from a third party working on behalf of the customer, such as a moving company, it can be more complicated.

In a recent thread on Self-Storage Talk, the industry’s largest online community, a member is fed up with cursing, sloppy movers who continually disregard her warnings against such conduct. See what advice others offer about this situation and share your guidance.

As your self-storage portfolio grows, it becomes increasingly complicated to roll out improvements successfully across all locations. There are more people with whom to collaborate when developing new operating procedures, more staff with whom to communicate about changes and more employees to train. Furthermore, your team isn’t clustered nicely at a single office, but spread out over a growing number of facilities. Following are some ideas to help you implement positive changes throughout your expanding empire, no matter how many properties it includes.

Strategy 1: Identify Superstars, Duplicate Their Success

The best place to look for success strategies is within your own company. If you already have a standout management team that’s achieving the results you’d like to see at your other stores, you have an opportunity to observe them working their magic. Compare the way they do things to the way tasks are “usually” done. You should be looking for key behaviors that can be adopted by the rest of your company.

Years ago, my company wanted to get a greater portion of new self-storage tenants to sign up for automatic credit card payments. One of our managers was a superstar in this area, so we asked her how she achieved such great results. She said she was trained to always ask new customers for their identification at the time of rental. She soon realized that if she asked for photo ID and credit card at the start of the process, nearly everyone would produce both cards, as most consumers are accustomed to similar requests from hotels and vehicle-rental companies.

While the tenant reviewed and signed the rental agreement, the manager would fill in the automatic-billing authorization form using the card details. Once the customer signed the lease, she’d explain the pre-filled application and ask him to sign. When the offer was presented this way, the number of people enrolling in automatic billing increased dramatically.

With this insight, we had two new behaviors to teach the rest of our staff. First, we would start asking for photo ID and a credit card at the beginning of each rental; and second, we’d pre-fill the authorization form for the customer to make it easier to complete.

Strategy 2: Define Key Behaviors

Many managers make the mistake of defining success only in terms of a desired outcome, such as increasing occupancy or reducing delinquency by a certain amount. A more helpful definition focuses on performing specific actions. In other words, you need to communicate and train your team to adopt key behaviors that lead to positive results.

For example, if you’d like to increase the revenue you generate from the sale of boxes and other merchandise, setting a sales goal would be a start. However, that number doesn’t communicate to your manager what he can do to meet that goal, other than to “try harder.” If your employee isn’t effective in the way he approaches merchandise sales, trying harder is just a recipe for frustration and dissatisfaction.

On the other hand, when you augment your goal with specific actions that lead to increased sales, you’ve opened the path for your staff to succeed. Key behaviors are observable and duplicatable. They can be modeled for new employees. They can also be described and documented. Then, competence can be demonstrated.

Strategy 3: Create Opportunities to Practice

Adopting new behaviors usually takes practice. Ineffective multi-site supervisors make the mistake of explaining the outcome they want, adding some incentive and assuming that’s enough. Those who are slightly better explain what needs to be done and then model the behavior. The best explain what needs to be done, model the behavior, and then give their direct reports opportunities to practice in an environment where it’s safe to make mistakes and learn.

For example, when showing a manager how to clean out a storage unit and prepare it for the next customer, you can describe and demonstrate how you want the job done. Then you can have your employee practice the skill while you observe and provide feedback. This process continues until he can demonstrate competence with the new skill.

Strategy 4: Make it Easier With Job Aids

You’ll get faster change and more compliance from your multiple teams if you make it as easy as possible for them to embrace new behaviors. Don’t confuse this with motivating them with incentives. In this case, you’re focused on making the task easier to complete rather than on boosting your managers’ drive to work toward the desired outcome.

One way you can make it easier is to create a job aid that helps people remember when and how to do things. Some examples include checklists that ensure all the necessary steps are taken, fill-in-the-blank forms that make it clear what information is needed and where it should go, and written or illustrated procedures that show step-by-step how to complete a task.

Job aids can be even more effective if designed to be obvious at the right moment. For example, if you want your employees to keep the contents of a customer’s file organized in a specific order, place a diagram on the file cabinet rather than bury it in a procedures manual.

Strategy 5: Study Success

By studying the methods of those who are already succeeding, both inside and outside your company, you can find the key behaviors that lead to the results you desire. When you don’t already have a role model, enlist the help of your store managers and experiment until you’ve figured it out for yourself.

As you roll out your improvement plan, you’ll have faster implementation when you explain and demonstrate appropriate behaviors and make it easy for employees to adopt them. By creating a safe space for your team to practice, you increase the speed at which they’ll succeed.

Kenny Pratt is a principal at the self-storage investment firm Crescendo Properties and its operating company, Crescendo Self Storage Management. He and his partners acquire, develop and manage self-storage facilities. For more information, call 916.481.2600; e-mail [email protected]; visit http://propertymanagement.storage.