Things have changed in the world of self-storage construction. As an owner/developer, you need to rethink your timeline and budget. Many general contractors and metal-building suppliers have simply taken on too many projects at once. They’ve stretched their resources beyond their competency and capacity. The formerly six- to nine-month project will now take closer to 12 to 18 months.

In addition, the cost of building in today’s market has increased substantially over the past five years. Single- and multi-level expenses are up 30 percent to 50 percent. You can point your finger at prices for raw materials like steel or a tight labor market, but also realize that interest-rate increases and other “hidden” costs such as new building codes are playing a part.

Following are some factors to watch and be prepared for during the construction of your next self-storage project.

Your Timeline

Most self-storage general contractors will provide you with a Gantt chart to show the timing of each phase of the construction process, from beginning to completion. A Gantt is a type of bar chart that shows the relationship between various activities and the schedule. It’s important to review this at the beginning of your project to ensure the timeframe is reasonable and various tasks are in proper order.

You should also monitor the construction schedule and be alert for any delays. There are several problems to avoid when developing self-storage. Unfortunately, some things, such as weather, will be out of your control. Extensive periods of extreme wet or cold can affect the timing of critical-path items. Pay attention to extensive delays, and make sure the general contractor is working to adjust task completion and stay on schedule.

Anytime issues interrupt project progress, try to recalibrate the Gantt chart. This is important, especially so you can inform your bank or investors of potential delays. You wouldn’t want to start your project and run short on cash halfway through. This would force you to go back to your lender and ask for more funds, and that conversation won’t go well.

Your Budget

Once you’ve selected a good development site, which assumes you’ve made it through the design, engineering, zoning and bank-approval processes, the project typically begins with a focus on the construction budget provided by your general contractor. Last year, we completed a 65,000-square-foot, single-level self-storage facility with 45 percent climate-controlled units. The accompanying table shows our planned and actual costs for the project.

Note the numbers are based on net rentable square footage. The total floor area, including the office, is 75,000 square feet, with hallways and the office eating up 10,000 square feet.

The old Boy Scouts of America motto, “Be prepared,” applies to self-storage construction budgeting. The first rule is to check your costs and make sure you have an additional 10 percent to 15 percent in funding to cover unexpected items. Fluctuating steel prices, labor costs and other unforeseen expenses, such as site work, can escalate even when you have a solid contract. While some subcontractors provide reliable fixed costs throughout the process, others might not be willing or able to do so.

For example, site-work costs might change due to soil conditions or weather-related problems. These big-ticket costs may swing about 30 percent or more from the time you signed the contract with your general contractor to the moment of project completion. Metal-building suppliers can’t simply offer fixed prices for their components if steel prices jump. These fluctuations can add as much as 15 percent to the total cost.

The takeaway is to simply be prepared for any unforeseen cost adjustments. This is especially true during periods of high demand for construction material and labor.

When building self-storage, it’s best to remember that it’ll cost more and take longer than you’d like. For our most recent project, we added 10 percent to the final per-square-foot cost. Also, add roughly six months to the original timeline.

Cost and time overruns are becoming common in the self-storage building process. It’s vital to monitor the situation to keep it from spiraling out of control and negatively impacting your project.

Jeffrey B. Turnbull is president of Kodiak Mini Storage II LLC. He’s been involved in the self-storage business as a developer, operator and owner for more than 20 years, and is currently developing a new store in Charlotte, N.C. He’s a licensed attorney in North Carolina, a licensed real estate broker in North and South Carolina, and a past president of the North Carolina Self Storage Association. He’s a regular contributor to “Inside Self-Storage,” and a speaker at various industry events. To reach him, e-mail [email protected].

Lucas J. Turnbull is a former project manager for Kodiak Mini Storage II LLC. He helped manage the construction of a new 65,000-net-rentable-square-foot facility in Charlotte, N.C. A graduate of Clemson University, he’s a licensed real estate broker in North Carolina. He’s now a commercial real estate broker at Gambrell Real Estate Consulting LLC. To reach him, e-mail [email protected].

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Blox Mobile Storage has launched service in Preston, England. The startup offers a portable solution in which it delivers a storage container to a business or residence to be packed by the customer before transporting it to a warehouse. The company will store the container until the customer requests delivery back to its starting point or a new address, according to the source. The company launched in July with service to Preston as well as the nearby communities of Blackburn and Chorley.

Blox containers offer 35 square feet of floor space and 250 cubic feet of volume. They’re transported to and from their destinations via custom trailers, the source reported.

Though containers can be stored indefinitely, customers who wish to access items while they’re in the Blox warehouse can only do so during “certain times,” according to the company website. “Blox isn’t suitable for anybody needing constant daily access to their goods.”

“I was helping somebody move home a couple of years ago, and I thought how good it would be if there was a service that delivered and collected large storage containers directly to the customer,” founder Craig Wilson told the source. “I did a lot of research and found that similar services held large shares of the market overseas in the likes of the U.S. and Australia, but nobody offered quite the same thing here in the U.K. The idea turned into a bit of an obsession and developed over the next two to three years until I eventually came up with my current vision of Blox.”

In May, Wilson’s business idea won the Cotton Court Start Up Competition, an annual contest for Lancashire, England-based entrepreneurs. The winner receives a package including mentorship, marketing and design support, call-center service, and other business assistance to help launch a company.

“Myself and the rest of the panel recognized a lot of entrepreneurial qualities in Craig, which are crucial when launching a business that is offering a game-changing product,” said Robert Binns, managing director of the Cotton Court Business Centre. “We are excited about being part of Craig’s journey as Blox Storage launches and looking forward to another Cotton Court client success story!”

Sources:
Lancashire Business View, Delivery Service Promises Huge Time Savings for Self-Storage Users
Blox, Website

Update 7/30/19 – Construction is underway on the two-story Citadel Self Storage project in the Locust Hill neighborhood of Lexington. Expected to open in early 2020, the facility will comprise 85,000 square feet in 700 units. It’ll also contain covered vehicle-storage spaces, five warehouse spaces and two 1,100-square-foot retail stores. The general contractor is Andover Construction, a subsidiary of AMGKY, the parent company for Citadel Storage Partners. Its commercial brokerage division will lease the warehouse and retail space.

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3/29/19 – The Dudas City Council voted 5-0 on March 25 to deny the rezoning request from Self Storage Dundas after determining the change would contradict the vision of the city’s current comprehensive plan. Mayor Glenn Switzer indicated the company’s expansion project could still potentially be permitted, depending on how the zoning map is altered once the council finalizes planned updates to the comprehensive plan. The city expects the updates to be made in the next few months.

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3/27/19 – 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 more activity taking place in March 2019.

Always Locked Self-Storage has opened in Farmington, N.Y. The two-story facility at 6061 Carmen’s Way comprises 29,500 square feet in 220 units. “Always Locked was designed from the beginning with our renters in mind,” said company president Michael Cerone. “As a renter of self-storage myself, I wanted to ensure we provide the best amenities, like maximum security and convenience to my clients. Our primary focus is the safety of our clients and their stored goods.”

U-Haul parent company AMERCO Real Estate Co. acquired a 172,000-square-foot building in Methuen, Mass., that it intends to convert into a self-storage and truck-rental facility with office space. The property is on Pleasant Valley Street across from the Loop, a mall and entertainment complex. Joseph Mendola of NAI Norwood Group, along with David and James Stubblebine of The Stubblebine Co., represented the seller. Mendola is a broker affiliate of Argus Self Storage Sales Network, a Denver-based network of real estate brokers who specialize in storage properties.

Ashland Storage Center East is nearing completion on its conversion of a former Kroger store in Belleville, Ill. The property at 653 Carlyle Ave. will feature indoor and outdoor units as well as boat/RV storage. It’s expected to open this spring. Ashland also operates a facility in Fairview Heights, Ill.

El Dorado Hills, Calif., officials are considering a development proposal to build EDH-Folsom Self Storage on Green Valley Road. The project would comprise 145,000 square feet and feature walls up to 16 feet. One of the developers, Jatlinder Mann, told the area planning-advisory committee during a recent meeting the exterior of the facility would be “ranch” themed to tie in with surrounding residential communities.

High Point Analytics has opened Madison Self Storage in Shelbyville, Tenn. The newly built facility at 1115 Madison St. comprises 40,000 square feet of rentable square feet in 326 climate-controlled units. The property will be managed by Absolute Storage Management, a self-storage owner and property-management firm that operates more than 100 properties in 14 states.

NitNeil Partners, an Atlanta-based real estate development and investment firm specializing in self-storage, is set to develop a facility within an Opportunity Zone in Austin, Texas. The company created a Qualified Opportunity Fund specifically for the project. The four-story facility at 2021 Airport Blvd. will comprise 100,000 square feet. Construction is expected to be complete by March 2020. NitNeil’s self-storage portfolio comprises 1.2 million square feet in nine states.

An affiliate of Phoenix Investors, a national private commercial real estate firm, is converting its industrial facility in Mount Pleasant, Wis., to self-storage. The property at 7505 Durand Ave. comprises 200,000 square feet. Expected to be complete this spring, the facility will contain 2,000 climate-controlled units. It’ll be managed by Store Here Self Storage and branded under its name. “There is significant pent-up demand for institutional quality self-storage in the market. Our facility will be operated in a first-class manner, benefiting from a number of surrounding developments,” said Anthony Crivello, executive vice president of Phoenix Investors. The Milwaukee-based firm focuses on the revitalization of former distribution and manufacturing facilities throughout the United States.

Store Here is operated by Store Here Management LLC, a division of RHW Capital Management Group LLC, a property-management company focusing on the self-storage industry. Store Here Management owns and manages 25 properties in seven states.

Self Storage Dundas in Dundas, Minn., is facing opposition in its quest to add 15,000 square feet to the existing 58,000-square-foot property through the purchase of two parcels on the corner of County Road 1 and Minnesota State Highway 3. City officials consider the property “prime real estate” and recently removed self-storage as a business use from the highway commercial district. The facility at 709 Schilling Drive has been in business for 38 years and received grandfather status when the zoning change went into effect. Unable to reach a consensus in February, the planning commission forwarded the zoning request to the city council with no recommendation. A decision still wasn’t reached during the March 11 council meeting, as city officials were split on the request. Ultimately, it was tabled until the March 25 to allow staff time to prepare resolutions.

Stein Investment Group (SIG), an Atlanta-based real estate investment firm that operates Space Shop Self Storage, intends to convert a former Giant Eagle store in Columbus, Ohio, to self-storage. As part of the project, the city council last month approved the rezoning of the 9-acre site at 1000 E. Dublin-Granville Road to allow two commercial buildings be developed on out-lots closer to the main road. Jason Linscott, chief investment officer, indicated the company is working through the permit process but hopes to begin as soon as possible. The two additional commercial buildings will most likely be for retail or restaurant use. The site was previously targeted for a similar project by RCG Ventures LLC. The Space Shop portfolio comprises 13 locations in the Southeast.

Real estate developer Titan Development has completed two self-storage projects in New Mexico. The three-story Ladera Storage in Albuquerque comprises 103,350 square feet, while the four-story Vegas Verda Storage in Santa Fe encompasses 88,184 square feet and two interior loading docks. Extra Space Storage will manage both climate-controlled facilities. General contractor ARCO/Murray Design Build provided architectural, permitting and construction services. Founded in 1999, Titan provides real estate services including acquisitions, design/build leaseback, joint ventures, land entitlement and private-equity real estate fund management. It has land holdings across Florida, New Mexico and Texas.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting a former Kmart retail store in Spokane, Wash., to self-storage. U-Haul Moving & Storage of East Town is operating out of temporary showroom at 4110 E. Sprague Ave. while the 115,992-square-foot building is renovated. Once complete, it’ll offer 700 interior, climate-controlled units. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns more than 32 million square feet of storage space.

Valley Sunrise Properties received permission from the city council to repurpose the former Print Craft building in New Brighton, Minn., to climate-controlled self-storage. Branded as STÖR, the two-story facility at 315 5th Ave. N.W. will contain 475 indoor and 140 drive-up units. A portion of the warehouse on the east side will be reserved for a single client who requires tall storage. Additional changes to the property include new landscaping, the expansion of a storm-water pond and painting the building white, lime green and gray, according to Ben Gozola, community assets and development assistant director for the city.

The William Warren Group (WWG), a privately held real estate company that operates the StorQuest Self Storage brand, has opened a new facility in Arvada, Colo. The property at 15350 Highway 72 is near Welton Reservoir and several parks.

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3/18/19 – 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 more activity taking place in March 2019.

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners in Glenwood Springs, Colo., will consider two self-storage developments at its meeting tonight. The projects, Blue Mountain Storage and GO Self Storage, would be built along the Colorado State Highway 82 corridor. Together, the sites would comprise 200,000 square feet of storage. The Land Studio, a local landscape architecture and planning firm, is overseeing both projects. Blue Mountain is being developed by Aspen, Colo., entrepreneurs while GO Self Storage LLC operates a facility in Kansas City, Mo.

CH SS Fund-Nuvo Dev Palm Beach Gardens Riverside LLC, an affiliate of Winter Park, Fla.-based developer Nuvo Development LLC, has broken ground on a three-story self-storage facility in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The 3-acre property at 10384 Riverside Drive contains a warehouse, part of which will be repurposed into a 18,650-square-foot office. Once complete, the facility will comprise 99,183 square feet. Designed by Daniel H. Farmer, president of Farmer Architecture Inc., the project will be built by DeAngelis Diamond Construction, a Naples, Fla.-based self-storage builder. Branch Baking & Trust Co. provided the mortgage.

Eastchester Storage LLC has purchased a building in High Point, N.C., from HHG Real Property LLC for $4 million with the intent to convert it to self-storage. The two-story former headquarters for home-furnishing company Heritage Home Group comprises 94,760 square feet. Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Commercial Realty Advisors, the principal of Eastchester Storage, purchased the site through its affiliated entity Medical Realty Advisors LLC.

The Plainfield, Ill., Board of Trustees approved plans and a special-use permit for a self-storage and warehouse facility on about one acre along Lockport Street. A 2,000-square-foot warehouse will occupy the property, along with two self-storage buildings comprising 21 units each. Entrepreneurs Elena Gallo and Jim Kowalski are relocating their business to the site. The property will include 6-foot slatted fencing and the addition of trees around the perimeter. The site is adjacent to a quarry and railroad tracks, making it a good fit for storage, according to trustee Bill Lamb.

Miami-based self-storage owner Robert Lansburgh acquired a vacant Kmart building and an adjacent property in Jacksonville, Fla., through affiliate company Blanding Self Storage LLC. Though he’s open to other uses, Lansburgh intends to convert the 50-year-old retail structure at 4645 Blanding Blvd. to self-storage. In a separate deal, Blanding also purchased a plot north of the Kmart for a total acquisition of 9.88 acres. Other marketed uses for the site include a car dealership, retail or warehouse. The Kmart closed in January 2013. Lansburgh also reportedly owns Jacksonville Self Storage II LLC and operates self-storage properties in Jacksonville, Houston and Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Leon Capital Group, a Dallas-based real estate development and investment firm, is set to build two self-storage facilities in Portland, Ore., that will add 215,847 net rentable square feet to its portfolio. The project on S.E. Division Street will be built on 1.72 acres and comprise 113,155 square feet, while the one on S.E. Powell Boulevard will comprise 102,692 square feet on 1.57 acres. A 2-acre lot at the back of the Powell site was recently sold to Renaissance Homes, which builds luxury homes. Boutique real estate firm Talonvest Capital Inc. negotiated $23.7 million in construction financing on behalf of Leon Capital. The developer has more than $3 billion in completed real estate transactions and assets worldwide.

Development firm Parrish Building Co. LLC received approval from the Hoover, Ala., Planning and Zoning Commission last week to build a mixed-use project that would include a three-story self-storage facility and a retail strip center off Alabama Highway 150, near Ross Bridge Parkway. If approved by the city council, the storage facility would comprise 60,000 square feet while the retail strip center would contain 9,000 square feet. Construction would begin later this year and be complete in mid-2020, according to Zac Parrish, managing member of Parris Building.

Construction-business owners Ellie, Gary and Larry Duran have taken over the day-to-day operation of Poudre River Storage, which had been under third-party management since opening in October. The three brothers built the self-storage facility on a 50-acre parcel at 14332 Weld County Road 64 in Greeley, Colo., after moving their primary business, Duran Excavating Inc., to the site in 2013. The facility comprises 450 units as well as 400 outdoor spaces for boat/RV storage. It also features an RV dump station.

Safeguard Self Storage has opened a new location on W. Merrick Road in Valley Stream, N.Y. The facility comprises 52,054 square feet in 747 units. Features include a drive-in loading area, electronic door locks and smartphone-enabled access. It’s the company’s 28th location in the New York metropolitan market and 72nd nationwide. Safeguard will continue to look for opportunities in the region, according to CEO Mark Degner. It has five other projects in development in New Jersey and New York, as well as four developments underway in Florida, Illinois and Louisiana.

Commercial development firm Southern Development Services plans to open a new self-storage facility on 2.42 acres in Delray Beach, Fla. The property at 1125 Wallace Drive will contain 500 units and be managed by self-storage real estate investment trust CubeSmart and branded under its name.

U-Haul is set to open a new self-storage location this month in Shreveport, La., and intends to convert a former shoe factory in Worcester, Mass. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Downtown Riverfront at 222 Lake St. in Shreveport will host a grand-opening event on March 22. The converted former “Shreveport Times” newspaper building comprises 84,689 square feet in more than 750 units. The business opened in a limited capacity in 2017, offering trailer and truck rentals and moving-supplies sales from a temporary showroom. Propane sales will eventually be added to the 3.53-acre lot.

In Worcester, U-Haul Moving & Storage at University Square expects to open a temporary showroom in the historic Melville Shoe Corp. building in April. Built in 1928, the four-story, 180,480-square-foot former warehouse will eventually comprise about 1,200 self-storage units, along with trailer and truck rentals, U-Box portable storage and other services. It’s been vacant for 18 years, according to Jerry Ouellette, president of U-Haul Co. of Western Massachusetts and Vermont.

United Roofing & Remodeling is converting the former Holt Lumber LLC property in Hollis, N.H., to self-storage. Owner Mike Coulombe purchased the 6.5-acre property at 145 Runnells Bridge Road in December for $800,000. Once complete, Contractor Storage Solutions will contain 12 large units designed for the storage of contractor equipment and tools. United Roofing occupies 5,000 square feet of building space. Plans are also underway to add a second storage structure.

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3/11/19 – 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 an overview of recent activity.

1784 Capital Holdings LLC, which acquires, develops, constructs and owns self-storage facilities, has purchased 2.06 acres in Goleta, Calif., on which it plans to build self-storage. Goleta Self Storage at 10 S. Kellogg Ave. will comprise 136,067 square feet, with three stories above ground and one below. It’s expected to be complete during the first quarter of 2020.

Commercial real estate companies ADEVCO Corp. and Batson-Cook Development Co. (BCDC) have formed a joint venture to build a three-story self-storage facility in Dunwoody, Ga., that it expects to complete in early 2020. The partnership recently closed on land at 4444 N. Shallowford Road and broke ground on the project. The facility will comprise 112,000 square feet. It’ll be operated by real estate investment trust and third-party management company Extra Space Storage Inc. and branded under its name. The site is near existing and planned multi-family developments. It will also serve the submarkets of Brookhaven, Perimeter Center and Sandy Springs.

Mobile-storage operator BlueBox Storage has opened a container-based self-storage facility in Salem, Ore. The property at 4725 Turner Road S.E. offers steel containers with 160 square feet of storage space. The units have double swinging doors and are rated for up to 10,000 pounds of storage.

Self-storage developer Citadel Storage Partners I LP, which operates under the Citadel Self Storage brand, plans to build on the site of the former Movie Tavern in Lexington, Ky. The movie theater at 133 N. Locust Hill has already been torn down. The $1 million self-storage building will comprise 55,000 square feet of space, according to documents filed with the city. Founded in 2015, Citadel operates two facilities in Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky.

EliteStor has completed phase one of a boat/RV self-storage project in St. Rose, La., about 20 miles from New Orleans. The facility at 161 I-310 Service Road recently opened with more than 20 units comprising 15,000 rentable square feet. Additional units are expected to be available later this year. The buildings were constructed to withstand 140 mph winds. Offerings include climate-controlled units, covered spaces, a wash bay, onsite maintenance and a retail store.

Real estate developer JMK5 Holdings LLC is nearing completion on two mixed-use development projects in Texas that will include self-storage. In Galveston, the company is adding 50,000 square feet of climate-controlled storage to the historic Falstaff Brewery at 3302 Church St. The facility, which will offer 436 units, is expected to be complete in April.

In Texas City, JMK5 is redeveloping the former Mall of the Mainland at 10000 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway. The project has already brought in a gym, movie theater and trampoline park. The self-storage component will comprise 63,675 square feet in 616 climate-controlled units.

Both properties are owned by attorney Jerome M. Karam. They’ll be managed by Houston-based Right Move Storage LLC, which operates 24 storage properties in Arizona, California, Louisiana and Texas, with the majority in Texas.

The Washington County, Md., Planning Commission approved a site plan from real estate developer Taylor Oliver for his North End Storage II self-storage project in Hagerstown, Md. The facility will comprise 73 units in three buildings. Each unit will offer about 420 square feet of space. The 5-acre site on the south side of Longmeadow Road will be the second self-storage location for Oliver, who also owns North End Storage on Leitersburg Pike. North End is a division of residential developer Oliver Homes.

Overton Moore Pacific (OMP) is looking to convert the Frontier Communications building in Monrovia, Calif., to a mixed-use site that’ll include self-storage, retail and office space. Plans include transforming 86,389 square feet on the upper floors into 550 units, with 4,470 square feet on the ground level designated for retail or commercial space. An additional 1,247 square feet on the first level will be transformed into office space. OMP will present its plans to the city’s design-review committee in May, according to city manager Oliver Chi.

Simply Self Storage, which owns or manages facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico, has opened a new location at 300 Wolverine Trail in Smyrna, Tenn. The property has a mix of interior, climate-controlled and drive-up units.

The Chino Hills, Calif., City Council voted 4-1 during an appeal hearing to approve a three-story self-storage proposal from commercial real estate firm Sorsirs Inc. The Storage District will comprise 128,149 rentable square feet in up to 950 units and include an additional 2,000 square feet for lobby and office space. It’ll be built at the southwest corner of Fairfield Ranch Road and Soquel Canyon Parkway in a retail center that includes Denny’s and Starbucks locations. The $15 million project will be designed to look like a modern office and include meeting space and a conference room open for community use, according to Nancy Bane, owner of Sorsirs.

Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting the former May's Drug Warehouse in Joplin, Mo., to self-storage. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Joplin is operating out of temporary showroom at 1410 E. 7th St. while the 44,682-square-foot building is renovated. Self-storage units are expected to be available by March 15. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns more than 32 million square feet of storage space.

Value Store It Inc., which operates 17 properties in Florida and Massachusetts under the Value Store It Self Storage brand, has opened a new facility at 7500 N.W. 25th St. in Miami. The property comprises 75,000 rentable square feet in more than 850 units, according to manager Louis Martin. The facility is near Miami International Airport and will serve several communities in western Miami-Dade County, including Blue Lagoon, Doral, Hialeah and Medley.

Canadian self-storage company Vaultra Asset Management is developing Vaultra Self-Storage in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Expected to be complete this fall, the facility at 20 Pugsley Court will comprise 100,000 square feet of climate-controlled, drive-up and outdoor vehicle storage. Vaultra operates two facilities in Alberta, Canada, and six in Ontario.

A proposal by Venture Storage Group LLC to build a three-story, $6.5 million self-storage facility in the South Peak development of Roanoke, County, Va., has been rejected by the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. With a 4-1 vote, the board denied a special-use permit to allow storage on the 3.1-acre site, which overlooks the cross point of U.S. Highway 220 and Virginia State Route 419. Commissioners had concerns about the size of the facility, which would comprise 105,000 square feet along a prominent hillside perch. They also questioned whether self-storage would serve the original goals for the gateway development.

Everett, Wash.-based West Coast Self-Storage Group (WCSSG), a management, acquisitions and development company that operates 55 facilities in California, Oregon and Washington, is nearing completion on projects in Daly City, Calif., and Portland, Ore. Together the facilities will add 122,775 square feet to the company’s portfolio.

In Daly City, the property at 1001 E. Market St. will comprise 58,000 square feet in 624 units. The Portland facility at 4970 S.E. 16th Ave. will encompass 64,775 square feet in 703 units. Both will feature covered areas for loading/unloading, retail supplies and truck rentals. WCSSG developed the Portland project on behalf of the ownership group NWB/CSPP McLoughlin LLC and will manage the property.

Westport Properties Inc., which operates more than 120 self-storage facilities under the US Storage Centers brand, has purchased a 2.2-acre industrial parcel in Los Angeles on which it plans to build a three-story, 152,000-square-foot facility. The property at 4800-4830 Valley Blvd. formerly housed a metal and plumbing business. The purchase price was $5.4 million.

New Sources:
Lex 18, State-of-the-Art Self-Storage Facility Under Construction in Lexington
Lexington Herald Leader, Indoor Storage Facility With Extra Security Will Open Early Next Year on Movie Tavern Site

Previous Sources:
Daily Messenger, Always Locked Self-Storage Opens in Farmington
Northfield News, Dundas Council Delays Decision on Expansion of Self-Storage
PR Newswire, Phoenix Investors to Convert Mount Pleasant Industrial Facility Into Self-Storage
PR Web, StorQuest Opens Cutting-Edge Self Storage Facility in Arvada, CO
Sun Focus, Indoor Storage Facility Coming to New Brighton
PR Newswire, Moving in Spokane: U-Haul Converting Former Kmart for New Store
Belleville News-Democrat, Storage Units Moving Into Sears Building in Belleville
Columbus Underground, Storage Facility Planned for Former Giant Eagle
PR.com, Argus Broker Affiliate Announces Sale of Massachusetts Self Storage Property
REBusiness Online, ARCO/Murray Completes Design-Build of Two Self-Storage Facilities in New Mexico
Village Life, Green Valley Road Having Growth Spurt
Champion Newspapers, Modern Self-Storage Facility Approved for Chino Hills
Digital Journal, Simply Self Storage Announces New Class A Storage Facility in Smyrna, Tennessee
Durham Region, What’s Going on Here: Vaultra Self-Storage
Globe St., Self-Storage Developer Wins Rare Industrial Land Site
Herald-Mail Media, More Jumbo Self-Storage Units to Be Built North of Hagerstown
Houston Chronicle, Former Texas City Mall Property, Falstaff Brewery Almost Ready to Store Your Stuff
Lexington Herald Leader, Former Movie Tavern on Locust Hill is Torn Down to Make Way for This Business
Monrovia Weekly, Old Phone Company Building in Monrovia May Get New Life
OpenPR, New Salem Self Storage Units are Now Available from BlueBox Storage
PR Newswire, EliteStor, a New Storage Facility Will Open Soon in St. Rose, Louisiana
PR Newswire, U-Haul Facility Opens to Address Self-Storage Demand in Joplin
PR Web, New Value Store It Location in Miami - Self Storage Facility in South Florida Now Open!
The Roanoke Times, Roanoke County Board Votes Down Permit Request for Self-Storage Warehouse on South Peak
Bugle Newspapers, Storage Facility Gets Approval
Hoover Sun, Hoover Zoning Board Oks Self-Storage, Retail Buildings Near Deer Valley, U.S. 31
Jacksonville Daily Record, Kmart on Blanding Sold for Redevelopment
PR.com, Safeguard Self Storage Expands Again in New York
PR Newswire, Grand Opening: U-Haul of Downtown Riverfront Offers 750 Self-Storage Rooms
PR Newswire, Preserving Worcester: U-Haul Announces Plans for Historic Shoe Factory
South Florida Business Journal, Developer Breaks Ground on Self-Storage in Palm Beach Gardens With $11M Loan
The Aspen Times, More of the ‘Colfax-ification’ of Highway 82
The Telegraph, Huge Makeover: Former Holt Lumber Property to be Renovated Into Storage Units
The Tribune, Longtime Greeley Construction Firm Opens Storage Business
Triad Business Journal, Former Heritage Home Group HQ Sold to Winston-Salem Developer for $4M
Northfield News, Dundas Council Denies Zoning Request to Allow Self-Storage Expansion

StoreEase, a provider of tools designed to help automate self-storage facility management, has teamed with consulting firm Self Storage 101 to offer an online third-party management solution for U.S. facility operators. The service is designed to reduce business operating expenses while increasing profit, according to a press release.

“We believe the industry desperately needs an alternative to existing management solutions that provides the highest level of facility management while putting more money in owners’ and investors’ pockets,” said Josh Boyd, founding partner of StoreEase. Boyd is also president and founder of On Guard Storage, in Leeds, Ala., which develops, acquires and manages its self-storage properties using virtual management with automation.

Boyd created StoreEase in part because he believed property-management fees were too high. “I was struggling with management. The existing third-party management companies were not an option due to the associated high costs,” he said. “I had no other choice but to manage the facilities myself, and this naturally led to my facilities not performing to their potential.”

The StoreEase approach embraces self-serve kiosks, app-based gate access and other automated solutions. “I believe virtual management with automation is the future in our industry,” said Bob Copper, owner and partner-in-charge of Self Storage 101. “There are a lot of projects that just aren’t feasible based on the traditional models. The StoreEase model enables greater cash flow while mitigating risk. Developers can build smaller projects or phase into a larger project because of the lower operational expenses associated with virtual management.”

Boyd’s background includes a long career in medical-device sales, selling technology into hospitals and operating rooms to advance the quality of patient care. He’s seen how disruptive technologies can positively impact cost models and improve the customer experience, he said. Boyd will co-present a webinar on Aug. 29, “The New Unattended Self-Storage Model: What’s Changed and How to Implement,” presented by Inside Self-Storage and Janus International. The free event will take place 2-3 p.m.

As a prominent industry author, speaker and trainer, Copper has worked extensively with hundreds of self-storage owners, operators and managers to develop strategies for operational improvement, revenue growth and value enhancement. He’s also a facility owner. He partnered with StoreEase to help grow its platform on a national level, according to the release.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., StoreEase is currently involved with self-storage projects in the Southeast.

Whether your self-storage business operates one facility or dozens, management requires dedication, planning and organization. Among the many responsibilities, you need to keep the grounds clean and perform routine maintenance. This might include fixing broken unit doors, planting seasonal flowers and cleaning office windows. Doing all this on top of daily operation can be challenging.

In addition to time constraints, you and your team might lack the expertise to handle all tasks. Maintenance includes more than janitorial work. Consider the wide range of potential repairs, from electrical issues to graffiti to cracked pavement. It might make sense to outsource to a third party. Here are some of the benefits and what to look for when you hire maintenance support.

Less Headache, More Skills

If you’re the self-storage owner, you’re responsible for providing wages and benefits to your in-house employees. You not only fund paychecks, you ensure the right taxes are withheld and sent to the government. You may offer a retirement plan and medical benefits. You’re required to provide a certain amount of paid vacation and sick time each year.

When you outsource maintenance, you simply pay the contracting company. It sends workers to your facility, but they’re not your employees. It not only costs less than hiring full- or part-time staff, it makes your job easier, as you don’t have to deal with human resources issues. You’re simply a client. All personnel functions, including discipline, are handled by the provider.

Of course, you can instruct the company on what you need done and make requests regarding method. Just keep in mind it may have a certain way it prefers or needs to do things for worker safety. Before you sign a contract, ask if the provider has any rules or restrictions for its employees of which you should be aware.

When you outsource maintenance work, you get employees who know what they’re doing. You don’t have to do any training. The provider ensures its team has the skills necessary to complete the job. On occasion, you may have to wait a while if you need a highly specialized service; however, it’ll still be much faster than if you had to train a member of your own staff to do the work. In general, you’ll experience much less downtime when you outsource.

A Balanced Approach

Do you have to either hire dedicated in-house maintenance staff or outsource to a provider? Of course not. You can use a combination of both for a balanced approach that yields the best results.

Perhaps you’ll train your team to handle simple, routine tasks and hire out for more difficult or specialized needs. Unexpected issues such as broken gates or leaking roofs often require professional attention. Some tasks are simply better handled by specialists such as pest control and security-system maintenance. These often require expertise your in-house workers don’t have and shouldn’t need.

Choosing a Provider

When you need a maintenance company, you’ll want to take several steps to find a good one. First, search “maintenance company near me” on Google. Visit each company’s website. Read their reviews on Yelp or Google. You may even find additional companies this way. If you want to go deeper, visit the Better Business Bureau website, which allows you to compare company ratings. You can also ask other self-storage operators in the area what contractors they like.

Narrow the list of possibilities to the few that seem the best. Give them a call. Ask what they can tell you about their business, what specialties they have and so on. Request references. Once you’ve found one you like, carefully read the service contract before you sign, then get a copy.

Ultimately, you’ll need to figure out what works best for your self-storage business, balancing cost and results. It may take time and experience to refine the balance. Done right, you’ll have reliable, loyal employees to handle most of the maintenance load, with helpful contractors coming in to take care of jobs that require more specific skills.

Jonathan Fesmire is a copywriter at Storagefront and writes articles for the company’s blog, “The Renter’s Bent.” In 2011, he earned a Master of Fine Arts from Academy of Art University. For more information, visit www.storagefront.com.

In this digital age, it can be difficult to decide where to invest your time, money and focus regarding marketing tactics for your self-storage business. One avenue you’re likely hearing a lot about is video, but perhaps you have questions. Will it really bring new revenue to your business? What type of video should you be making? How do you start using it, and where should you promote it? How do you know if your efforts are paying off?

If you’re skeptical about video marketing, have no fear. Read answers to your burning questions below, including why you should embrace video and how best to use it.

Why It Matters

In video marketing, business operators create 30-second to 5-minute posts on specific topics. The content is uploaded to various video-sharing platforms for distribution and exposure, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and others. According to marketing firm Renderforest, nearly 80 percent of global Internet consumption this year will be video.

Video marketing is the ultimate connector! It can be used to build great relationships with potential customers and the community. It helps companies bridge the gap from being a faceless organization to a team of real people with feelings, passions and skills.

Have you ever Googled or driven by a business and wondered who works there or what the building looks like inside? Video marketing creates a visual that answers those types of questions. It can put you, your facility and your business story into a moving frame for people who can’t physically be where you are.

Picture in your mind an open field that goes on for miles. It’s early morning, and off in the distance are 100 hot-air balloons firing up to fly into the sky while the sun rises. Do you see it? I just transported you! Video marketing has the same kind of power. It allows you to capture and share a moment someone otherwise would have missed. It can connect your facility with tenants and bring them exactly where you are. Businesses that use it grow their revenue 49 percent faster than non-video users, Renderforest reports. Video marketing creates an experience for your potential renters, helping you build a new revenue stream.

Video Types

With so many options for video marketing, you might be wondering what will work best for your self-storage business. There are more than 15 types, according to Uscreen.tv, which offers a platform for creating on-demand video. Let’s go over three basic ones with which you should start:

• Awareness video: Bringing awareness to your facility is the most valuable result of video marketing. Think of it as the heartbeat of your business. First and foremost, you must get on customers’ radar. Typically, this type of video attracts the most people and gets the most views. An example would be a “Meet Our Team” video.
• Engagement video: This plays off viewers’ emotions. Videos that engage your audience are typically the ones that get the likes, shares and comments. They might make your viewers laugh or even bring a tear.
• Education video: This should inform prospective tenants about what sets you apart from other facilities in the area. For example, it might explain how to store a one-bedroom apartment in a 10-by-15 unit or how to protect belongings while they’re in storage.

Creating Quality Video

Now that you know the types of videos to create, let’s discuss some aspects of production. First, keep in mind where your video will be seen. Content should be easy to watch and hold the viewer’s attention. Self-storage is a life industry, so an example of a great video might be one that shows a tenant using your facility through all the stages of his life. This not only helps connect you with tenants, it helps them visualize themselves using your offering in various situations.

When it comes to length, shorter is better. The average adult attention span is about 12 seconds, according to communication firm Cision.com. Don’t let declining concentration kill your video-marketing efforts! Keep your content short, engaging and to the point.

Now, let’s talk about music. This is a powerful tool when it comes to video marketing. Many Fortune 500 companies use it to evoke emotion, hold customer engagement and even increase sales. When have you ever heard “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey and not sung along or smiled? Bottom line, music can take your video to the next level.

Finally, give your video an exciting, provoking title. This will make it more clickable, engage a broader audience and gain more exposure for your content.

Where to Promote

If your business isn’t using social media, it should be! These platforms can help any company succeed. Marketing firm Hootsuite reports 69 percent of U.S. adults use a least one social media site. That’s a huge piece of the pie you could be missing if you don’t have a profile on sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

More than 500 million hours of videos are watched on YouTube each day and 45 percent of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube video each week, according to advertising firm Wordstream.com. If your goal is to have your content be viewed, putting it on YouTube and Facebook is the way to go. You can also host live videos on these websites, bringing your tenants right into all the action!

Tracking Results

After all this hard work, you’ll want to make sure your video marketing is working, but how? There are a few helpful websites that make it easy to track results. For example, there’s a popular tool available from social media-monitoring company Brandwatch that allows you to see what campaigns are adding value to your brand awareness in a meaningful way. Clicky Web Analytics is another tool you can use to track demographics and live activity.

Whenever you start something new like video marketing, practice makes perfect. Try a few styles, post them to your website and social media pages, and then track your results. Video is a proven way to boost online traffic, rank higher in online searches and bring in new customers. Make sure it’s a part of your self-storage marketing plan.

Lauren Mannarelli is a marketing manager for The Storage Group, a provider of website development, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, reputation management, software development and more. She specializes in identifying target audiences and devising digital campaigns that engage, inform and motive. For more information, call 888.465.6247; visit www.storageinternetmarketing.com.