Amherst, N.Y.-based real estate investment trust Sovran Self Storage Inc., which operates the Uncle Bobs Self Storage brand, announced a 10.4 percent increase to the companys quarterly dividend from $0.48 per share to $0.53 per share. The increase is effective with the second-quarter 2013 dividend that will be paid on July 26 to shareholders of record as of July 12.

The increase also boosted Sovrans annualized dividend from $1.92 per share to $2.12. The quarterly dividend equates to an annual yield of about 3.3 percent, company officials said.

Our operating performance continues to exceed our expectations, said David Rogers, CEO. We know the dividend is an important component of investment return, and were pleased to share some of this growth with our shareholders.

Sovran operates 471 properties in 25 states. The company is actively acquiring additional self-storage facilities.

By Nick Lackner

When we opened the door to our self-storage facility in November 2012, we initially thought of it as a grand opening. In actuality, it was more of a grand re-opening. Thats because the building was originally built for a different kind of storage: the Pittsburgh Terminal Warehouses. In fact, to my knowledge, City Center Self Storage is the only self-storage facility in a building thats on the National Historic Register. This posed some unique challenges but also a significant number of benefits that are tough to find even with todays new construction.

Good Bones

Our experience is probably unlike that of most other self-storage operators and developers. Many facilities are built from the ground up as new construction. Ours was a conversion project. Built in 1906, the original complex was designed expressly for storage. Perfectly located at the junction of rail, river and roads, Terminal Warehouses (now called River Walk Corporate Centre) instantly became the hub of Pittsburgh storage.

River Walk was the perfect location for us for the very same reasons. Its proximity to downtown make it accessible to the city and suburbs. Three courses of brick construction, high ceilings and thick floors provide natural climate control and built-in security. More than 48 working elevators translated into easy access to the upper floors. It was the perfect building to house our new business. Best of all, it had almost 250,000 square feet of available space!

Onsite Construction Team

Having picked our location, we needed to identify architects, contractors and electricians for the build-out phase. Fortunately, we found one of each right in our building. The architect and contractor are both long-term tenants and have intimate knowledge of the property, its construction and the underlying systems. They literally worked next door and were on site every day, ensuring rapid adjustment of plans and quick decisions.

Likewise, the electrician was on the board of directors for River Walk Corporate Centre and had done most of the electrical upgrades over the years. This talented, committed team was instrumental to our on-time, on-budget opening.

We benefited tremendously from the open floor plan of the building, which included high ceilings and wide hallways perfectly sized for the initial build out of 80 climate-controlled units, with 40 on the first floor and an additional 40 on the fifth floor. All we needed to do was paint the walls and floors and install an intelligent, energy-efficient lighting system that responded to motion and sound.

However, we had to create our office and storefront from scratch, and this is where much of the construction effort went. We wanted a clean, welcoming, modern look for our officea place where customers could not only store with us, but relax, have a cup of coffee and potentially even do some work.

We selected a raw bay on the first floor that faced the street and the flow of traffic. The storefront consists of large windows that were built to match the buildings original turn-of-the-century architecture. To ensure security, our architect cleverly hid automatic steel roll-up doors above the storefront windows that close at night. Our welcoming, IKEA-furnished office and customer-registration workstation are the perfect complement to the 107-year-old historic structure.

We took advantage of an existing separate room and turned it into a conference room to which we added free Wi-Fi and a coffee maker. On weekends, children play and color while their parents do the heavy work of moving in and out. On weekdays, our mobile business customers use it as a remote office. We even provide free access to the conference room for community groups and neighborhood associations. Its been a great way to increase exposure and become a vital part of the neighborhood.

A complete security system was installed, with remote camera feeds from the entire facility streamed to a large monitor in the office. Real-time temperature and humidity monitors were placed on both floors, and data is collected and analyzed continuously. A new ADA (American With Disabilities Act)-compliant bathroom was installed, and the original freight elevators were sanded and repainted to match the rest of the office color scheme. We even documented the entire construction process with our iPhones and turned it into a promotional video. Since opening, weve added 25 units and have room and plans for an additional 1,000.

Alternative Funding

We funded our Pittsburgh storage business ourselves. No banks, no outside investors and no loans from family members. If you keep your ears and eyes open, sometimes you can literally find money. Thats what happened to us.

While reading a local Pittsburgh newsletter, we read about the citys Storefront Renovation and Downtown Façade Restoration program. It provided matching funds for business owners who renovated their storefronts. It was a long and winding road, but well worth the journey. The $5,000 grant we were awarded allowed us to invest in a very attractive and welcoming storefront.

Value Engineering

Paying for something yourself gives you a real appreciation of whats important. The difference between nice to have and need to have is now very well-defined for us. It boils down to this: If the expense is an absolute business requirement or will make the customer experience appreciably better, then its a need to have. Everything else is secondary. We call this value engineering, and we do it every day. In fact, we do it many times every day.

Case in point: Local building codes for Pittsburgh storage facilities require a two-tier water fountain for ADA-compliance. Water fountains arent cheap and, based on our experience, arent used that much anymore in the age of people carrying their own water bottles. But building codes have not caught up with that fact, so we went on the hunt.

New water fountains cost $800 or more. We did a local search on Craigslist but didnt find anything in the Pittsburgh area. We went national and used the online website Search Tempest and found one in North Carolina for half the price. A long way from Pittsburgh, but right along the way if driving to Florida for spring break. Timing is everything!

New Technology

Just because your building is more than a century old, it doesnt mean you cant embrace new technology. Our team makes heavy use of the iPhone every day. Video conferencing, customer-video testimonials, remote-security camera feeds, and remote garage-door opening are all enabled by our teams iPhones.

In addition, our lighting incorporates the latest technologies. Super-efficient lights use little energy and motion-sensors switch lights off when you leave, eliminating unnecessary energy use. Also, were planning to go completely paperless. The contracting process will soon be all done online through our Web portal. Tenants can select a locker, complete their application and pay for their locker online. Tenants regularly compliment us on the efficiency and sophistication of our operation.

A Final Note

In retrospect, we were very lucky. If youve ever done a restoration, you know renovations of older homes are often twice the price of new construction. We had the same concerns when we approached this project. But we worked the details day in and day out. Every decision was scrutinized, agonized and socialized. Every dollar was optimized to ensure the highest return.

Virtually every evening was filled with conference calls among the partners, reviewing the previous days events and planning for the next. Sure, we were lucky. But luck favors the prepared, and we were very well prepared.

To read more about the use of technology in operating City Center Self Storage and how you can do the same in running your own facility, click here .

Nick Lackner is the founder and general manager of City Center Self Storage in Pittsburgh. To reach him, e-mail [email protected]. For more information, visit www.citycenterselfstorage.com .

Subsidiaries of the investment-management company Global Income Fund have acquired two self-storage facilities in Illinois and one in Indiana. The three facilities comprise more than 197,000 rentable square feet and 1,754 storage units. Two of the assets also have room for expansion, company officials said.

The facilities are located in Bolingbrook, Ill., Dolton, Ill., and Merrillville, Ind. "We are very pleased to add these facilities to the company's portfolio and look forward to continued expansion of the Global Self Storage brand," said Mark Winmill, president and CEO of Global Income Fund.

The company indicated it will continue to seek self-storage investment opportunities. Earlier this year, its Self Storage Group I LLC subsidiary purchased Sadsbury Self Storage, a 49,198-square-foot facility in Sadsburyville, Pa.

Global Income Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end, investment-management firm whose common stock is traded over the counter under the ticker symbol "GIFD." The primary investment objective of the company has been to provide a high level of income, with capital appreciation as a secondary objective.

Door to Door Storage Inc., a national provider of portable self-storage and moving services, has launched a Zombie-themed infographic to communicate information about the companys product and service offerings to customers. The graphic playfully depicts 10 ways to use the companys mobile storage containers in the event of a zombie apocalypse.

The graphic is the latest in a series developed by the company and was launched in time to prepare for National Zombie Day on July 7. The artwork intersperses information about moving destinations and storage benefits with humorous container uses, such as converting units into zombie cages and traps. The infographic is visible on the companys website.

Infographics help us connect with customers in a fun and sometimes offbeat fashion, said Tracey Kelly, senior vice president of sales and marketing. It enables us to tell an interesting visual story and provide useful information about our service.

The company said it has found infographics to be an effective way to easily communicate complex information or data. Infographics represent 1 percent of the content that is able to make it past sensory information filters, and are effective because 90 percent of the information transmitted to the brain is visual, according to Unbounce, a company and website that helps marketers create, publish and test Web landing pages.

One infographic used by Door to Door compared what it would be like to travel across the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon with how it would look today using the companys storage containers and moving services.

We are committed to helping our customers navigate the life transitions that come their way. Making information easily accessible is part of this strategy, Kelly said. With a bit of whimsical humor thrown in, we hope to provide a moment of relief from stress during the moving process.

Founded in 1996, Door to Door Storage Inc. operates storage centers in more than 60 U.S. metropolitan markets and offers moving services in 34 states. It is headquartered in Kent, Wash.

Inside Self-Storage (ISS) is now collecting data for its 2013 Top-Operators List, which identifies 100 of the self-storage industry's leading operators based on total net-rentable square footage. The list includes facility and brand owners, independents and property-management companies. The data also features number of locations and units, expansion plans and contact information.

To participate, companies that have been published in a past list can log in to update their existing information by visiting http://topoperators.insideselfstorage.com/BGWebForm_login.asp?gid=12. Operators who are new to the process can create a listing through the same Web page. Submissions must be complete by July 31.

The ISS Top-Operators list will be featured in the October issue of ISS magazine and published online on Sept. 13.

For more than 20 years, ISS has provided informational resources and services to the self-storage industry including a monthly magazine, annual conferences and tradeshows, and an extensive website. ISS is also the owner of the Self-Storage Training Institute, an online education portal for managers and owners; Self-Storage Talk, the industrys largest online community; and the ISS Store, a website for on-demand education and insight.

Enumclaw Self Storage is holding a textile-recycling drive at its Enumclaw, Wash., facility to benefit the Northwest Center, a local nonprofit organization that supports children and adults with developmental disabilities. Customers and local residents can participate by donating re-usable clothing, linens, towels, shoes and other household textiles. The self-storage business has set up a drop-off bin at its facility at 810 Blake St.

Americans discard 85 percent of unwanted clothing and shoes into the trash each year, amounting to more than 11 million tons of textiles added to landfills annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Proceeds from donations will be used toward Northwest Center services such as childhood education, early intervention, employment services and jobs, according to the source.

Enumclaw Self Storage has more than 600 units and 44 spaces for vehicle storage. The facility offers a supply of boxes and moving supplies for customer convenience.

Several complaints about a flock of peacocks residing at Amlin Self Storage in Dublin, Ohio, have forced the facility's manager to find them a new home. Diana Jenne, the manager and caretaker of the birds, considers the peacocks like family and hates to see them go, but has no choice since the birds have been flying over the facilitys fencing onto neighboring properties and walking on cars.

It's not uncommon for domesticated peacocks that roam a property to try to turn semi-wild and head for the woods, according to an article in Peacock Journal. The article states peacocks that have not become accustomed to a property will flee, which could explain their need to fly from the confines of the self-storage facility. In addition, the peacocks are considered a liability to the storage company because their sharp talons can easily scratch tenants.

With the ability to produce 11 different call sounds, peacocks are not known for silence. Generally, they make their calls in the early morning and late evening, which could be another reason for the complaints.

Sunrise Sanctuary, a private 16-acre animal rescue and sanctuary in Marysville just west of Dublin, has agreed to take the feathered friends. The difficult task at hand is finding a safe way to remove the birds. To ensure their safety, a specialist has agreed to scout the area and observe the birds before removing them. 

Amlin Self Storage offers traditional self-storage and RV and vehicle storage.

Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services has named Richard Bird as its national director of the companys National Self-Storage Group (NSSG). Bird will be promoted from his position as regional manager of the firms Salt Lake City and Las Vegas offices. He will oversee all aspects of NSSG, which was involved in more than $460 million in investment sales transactions in 2012.

Richard has proven to be a capable leader with us over the years in his previous roles as both a successful sales agent and in management, said John J. Kerin, president and CEO. His background and knowledge of the self-storage specialty area will be instrumental in growing our self-storage team nationally.

In addition to regional manager, Bird has served as the sales manager for the firms offices in Denver and Fort Collins, Colo., as well as Salt Lake City. He began his career at Marcus & Millichap in 2004, specializing in the sale of multi-family investment properties throughout Utah and Idaho. In 2006 and 2007, he was the companys top-producing agent in the Salt Lake City office, and in 2007, he earned an internal sales-recognition award.

Marcus & Millichap has more than 1,000 investment professionals in offices nationwide and closed more than 6,100 transactions last year.