The Wisconsin Self Storage Association (WSSA) has partnered with Rummage Marketplace to offer members discounted pricing when listing their lien sales on the website. The basic listings cost is $25; WSSA members pay $10.

I have used Rummage Marketplace and had great success getting more buyers to my auctions, said WSSA President Kurt Jacobsen. Before using the website, Jacobsen said bids were low, ranging from $50 to $200 per unit. It was frustrating, he added. Now I get much better attendance at my sales. More important, Im getting substantially higher bids for my units.

Other storage owners are experiencing similar results as Kurt and, hopefully, this offering will be a further incentive to join the WSSA, said Chris Hitler, founder of Rummage Marketplace.

The Wisconsin Self Storage Association was founded in 2002 and currently has more than 220 members.

Rummage Marketplace was launched in 2009 as a marketing tool for storage operators to improve buyer attendance at lien sales and generate higher sale prices of storage units.

San Diego Self Storage (SDSS) completed a successful collection drive to benefit Homefront San Diego, a non-profit organization that provides active military families with ongoing needs in San Diego County. The collection, June 1 through June 30 at all 16 SDSS self-storage locations, filled five large storage units.

Donated items included new womens clothing and shoes; living room, gently used dining room, kitchen, bedroom and office furniture; lamps and household accessories; childrens clothing and toys; small kitchen appliances; electronics; grocery and gas cards and new baby items.

"Were very pleased with the response from the public and our facility tenants who really came through with useful donations that will help these military families with much-needed items, said Steven Teixeira, director of property management. Due to the positive response, we hope to make this an annual event, much like our Toys for Tots toy collection during the holiday season.

Founded in 1972, San Diego Self Storage is one of the largest self-storage providers in San Diego County with a network of 16 neighborhood self-storage facilities, and additional facilities in Los Angles and Orange County.

StorageTreasures.com, an online resource for seekers of self-storage auctions, has entered an agreement to receive investment funding and advisory services from three partners: A-1 Self Storage, RESCO Self Storage and Stor-All Storage. Executive managers from each company will also serve on the StorageTreasures Board of Directors.

Its no secret that technology is playing an ever-growing role in how we operate and market our facilities, and now that trend is changing the industrys approach to storage auctions, said StorageTreasures President and Founder Lance Watkins. Progressive operators like A-1 and Stor-All are embracing this trend, and are looking for ways to create competitive advantages through both the use of technology in general and partnerships with Internet-based companies like StorageTreasures.

In addition, StorageTreasures has partnered with the Self Storage Legal Network, the official legal counsel of the national Self Storage Association, and American Auctioneers, the auction company of Storage Wars reality TV fame.

A-1 operates 16 self-storage locations in San Diego County and more than 40 locations statewide. It is the self-storage division of the Caster Cos., a third-generation, family-owned company headquartered in South California since 1959.

RESCO is a California-based real estate investment group. The companys experience includes the development and construction of the Shurgard storage brand, which eventually was sold to Public Storage Inc.

Stor-All Storage has 38 locations throughout Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

StorageTreasures.com is a free storage-auction locator and facility finder covering the United States and Canada. The website offers auction schedules and site-specific guidelines for auction hunters and self-storage owners alike.

Westport Properties Inc. and Storage Network Advantage LLC have hired Dave King as a business development manager to help both companies grow nationally.

A self-storage operator with 44 properties, Westport provides third-party management services to self-storage owners. Founded by Westport president Barry Hoeven, SNA is a network that allows self-storage operators buy from a menu of industry products and services at a discount. King will be responsible for expanding the SNA network and securing additional management business for Westport.

King has several years of experience in general business development including business-to-business sales, sales training, sales-team leadership and recruiting. He most recently worked as business development manager for Phoenix-based OpenTech Alliance Inc., a provider of self-storage kiosks and call-center services. In that position, he garnered knowledge of self-storage automation and achieved beyond his sales quota in 2010.

Membership in SNA is free. Available offerings include marketing services, administration support, insurance services and more.

Hoeven is a self-storage owner/operator with more than 25 years of experience in the industry.

By Amy Campbell

While the self-storage industry has flirted with green building, few developers have actually taken on the challenge. One reason is the costusing sustainable products and practices definitely adds to the price tag. Second, the learning curve is steep. A developer cant simply decide to go green. To be certified as green, a building must meet certain criteria, which is intricately detailed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Lee Fredrick, a self-storage developer and owner of Grow Your Storage LLC, knew both of these factors, but was determined to overcome the challenges to create a green-certified self-storage facility. After successfully building and operating seven facilities in Texas, Fredrick moved to Colorado. There, he found a dynamic site in Colorado Springs ripe for self-storage development. But rather than go the traditional development route, Fredrick was determined to try something new.

When you spend as much time and capital as we did in the pursuit process, it only makes sense to take a little extra effort to build an exceptional facility, he says. We wanted to create the best opportunity for success, and we chose to distinguish this project in all areaslocation, appearance, amenities and design.

When designing for optimum performance and durability, a developer must consider the design principles incorporated in the USGBCs certification system, says Fredrick of the decision to build a green facility. Having asked myself what kind of self-storage property I wanted to own in 20 years, I decided to build it now.

Getting Certified          

Although the land was available and the partner/developer/general contractor, Gary Erickson, was ready, finding a willing lender and hammering out the details of the construction loan took nearly two years. The addition of green design and pursuit of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification was a factor that influenced the local lender, Colorado Springs State Bank, to consider making a construction loan when so many capital sources were sitting on the sidelines. 

In that time, Fredrick studied to become a LEED AP (Accredited Professional) from the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). A substantial component of the added cost of LEED certification derives from the extra third parties needed to meet the stringent requirements of certification, Frederick says. I opted to become my own LEED administrator for the project. I personally oversaw the documentation and submittal of required materials. The knowledge I gained while studying to become a LEED AP has also helped me to direct other professionals to participate more effectively in the design and construction process.

The voluntary building-certification program, developed by the USGBC, offers guidance on creating more energy-efficient structures while minimizing the environmental impact.

Meeting LEED Credits

In many ways, Northgate Self Storage is like other new developments. The 675-unit capitalizes on the multi-story trend in the industry with four stories. It also has climate-controlled units, a video-surveillance system, keypad-controlled access and elevators.

One factor thats notably different, however, is all components of the developmentexterior and interiorwill earn LEED credit and will contribute to the structures LEED-certification with a gold rating. There are several credits that tie in perfectly with self-storage, Fredrick points out. For example, Materials and Resources Credit 4 pertains to recycled content of construction materials. Most steel in self-storage structure and doors contain high-recycled content, Fredrick says. Our builder, Kiwi II Construction, provided documentation of recycled content as a part of their contract with us.   

The building also incorporates significant, innovative electrical engineering. The electrical service for HVAC, lights and plugs are all on separate panels that are individually monitored and tracked. We will know when our electric demand increases and can make adjustments accordingly, Fredrick says. For instance, air-conditioning use can be increased during non-peak hours, saving money and reducing peak demand on the grid. This approach is a component of Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1, Optimize Energy Performance.

High indoor-air quality is another important component of a green building. At Northgate, the HVAC system operates with a MERV 13 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) filter. An average system runs filtration with a rate of MERV 5-8, Fredrick notes. The air-handling system is designed to provide ventilation that exceeds a typical system by at least 30 percent. The indoor-air-quality plan also involves flushing out the air in the building over a 45-day period post-construction. The use of low-emitting materials contributes to the high quality of the office and storage space of our building, Fredrick says.

All carpets, composite wood, paints, sealants, adhesives and other architectural coatings do not exceed the VOC (volatile organic compound) limits as outlined in USGBC Reference Guide.  When you have a population that spends 90 percent of its time indoors, the consequences of indoor pollution from trapped toxins and off-gasses is profound, Fredrick says. The notion of green building is to have a healthy building. Thats exactly what weve built with Northgate.

Attracting Customers

Developing a LEED-certified structure typically costs 5 percent to 10 percent more than traditional self-storage. The tradeoff? Upfront costs vs. long-term ones, Fredrick says. The buildings functional life expectancy is longer, and the life-cycle analysis demonstrates that costs in the long run are demonstrably less.

Several warehouses and storage buildings have achieved LEED for core and shell, which focuses on the structural components; but Fredrick is pursuing the certification for new construction, which encompasses all facets of the finished building. The first costs can be higher, but we made the choices that created an efficient and livable building, he says. For example, adding insulated foam panels to the exterior of the building costs more, but it created a tighter building envelope, which reduces electricity demand and increases performance of the HVAC system. Well spend more upfront to build an exceptional envelope, then well enjoy the long-term benefits, Fredrick says.  

Another reason to go green is distinction in the market. Consumers have proven theyre willing to pay for green products and services. Prospective self-storage customers have easy access to price and amenity comparisons when shopping for a storage facility. They want the most for what theyre willing to pay, Fredrick says. Despite the increased costs to build the facility and the green advantages it comes with, Northgates rent rates are in line with other facilities in the area. At a comparable price point, well show them the features and benefits of storing in a green building, to which most of our customers are favorably disposed.  The LEED certification is the final point of distinction between us and any other facility, Fredrick says.

While the LEED certification process is arduous, Fredrick says more commercial developers, including those in the self-storage industry, should expect green building to become more prevalent in the market. In some cities, all commercial buildings are required to attain some type of green certification and LEED is the industry standard.

Seventeen storage units and four overnight campers were broken into at Moove-In Self Storage in Lancaster County, Pa., sometime between July 12 and July 13, but the thieves made off with nothing more than a TV. That's because 12 of the units were vacant.

The facility manager told the source a person or people used bolt cutters to break through a chain-link fence and walk onto the company's property. Then, the suspect busted padlocks on the units and forced entry into the campers. The manager also thinks motion-sensor lights may have scared away the suspects.

Pennsylvania State Trooper Tony Thomas encourages self-storage tenants to use disc locks because they are much more resistant to bolt cutters. The investigation is still ongoing.

San Diego Self Storage (SDSS) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 28 to celebrate the opening of its new Butterfield Ranch self-storage facility in Temecula, Calif. The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) officiated the ceremony.

Patricia and Richard Moinet, Butterfield Ranch managers, said in a news release, "This was a highly anticipated event for us, and were honored to have the TVCC help us celebrate with an official ceremony for the launch of our business.

With the addition of Butterfield Ranch, San Diego Self Storage has a network of 16 neighborhood self-storage facilities in the San Diego area, as well as additional facilities in Los Angeles and Orange County. Existing locations in the San Diego area include Carlsbad, Carmel Valley, East Lake, Encinitas, Golden Triangle, Jamacha Point, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, National City, North County (Escondido), Temecula, Olivenhain, Otay Crossing, Otay Mesa, Poway, Solana Beach, Sorrento Mesa and Sorrento Valley.

Water Tower Storage in Cedar Park, Texas, recently sold for an undisclosed amount to AAA Storage Water Tower LLC.

Built in 2006, the facility at 945 W. New Hope Drive has 56,000 square feet, 376 self storage units and nine boat/RV spaces. 

Joe Linsalata of Linsalata Realty Services represented the buyer, and Erwin Lewis represented the seller, Lpg Warehouses Ltd.

Linsalata Realty Services provides brokerage of self-storage facilities throughout Texas.

 

The U-Haul Co. of Western Georgia purchased Jonesboro Self-Storage, 8640 Kendrick Road, in Jonesboro, Ga.

The new U-Haul Moving and Storage of Jonesboro at Flint River Road features more than 400 self-storage units, and more than 52,000 square feet of storage space. The facility also features outdoor, drive-up storage and boat/RV storage.

The facility is built along the bank of the Flint River where there once was an old wooden bridge that crossed it. Over time, the bridge became dilapidated and was demolished. All that remains on the river today is the old bridge-support posts.  The old wooden bridge was featured in the movie Smokey and the Bandit in which star Burt Reynolds jumped his Pontiac Trans Am over the river while being pursued by police.

"Were excited to be expanding our presence in Jonesboro and look forward to continuing our long-standing relationships with local communities throughout Georgia," said Brent Atwood, president of the U-Haul Co. of Western Georgia.

U-Haul Moving and Storage of Jonesboro at Flint River Road will offer a wide variety of environmentally friendly packing supplies, including boxes made out of recyclable materials, 100-percent biodegradable packing peanuts and moving pads made from recycled denim. Also on site will be a Take a Box/Leave a Box display, which allows customers or anyone in the community to leave moving boxes or unwanted electronics boxes for another customer to reuse for free.