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Self-storage development and zoning activity news January 2025
Self-Storage Development and Zoning Update: January 2025
The self-storage industry saw significant activity in January 2025, with dozens of development proposals, zoning approvals, and new facility openings reported across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and the Cayman Islands. This article summarizes key highlights based on publicly reported information. It includes details on large-scale projects, mixed-use integrations, developer strategies, and geographic trends shaping the industry.
California Activity: Chino and Santa Monica
In Chino, California, a proposed mixed-use project by Orbis Schaefer LLC drew concern from residents during a January 23 neighborhood meeting. While the residential portion of the project was modified to address height and placement concerns, shifting four-story units back from the street and reducing building heights along Fern Avenue, no adjustments were made to the planned self-storage facility. Additional modifications to the plan included increased setbacks near existing homes and a new plaza at the corner of Fern and Schaefer. Aesthetic changes, including earth-tone colors, were added to align with the surrounding neighborhood. Some residents proposed eliminating the self-storage component altogether to make more room for housing.
Meanwhile, in Santa Monica, ARCO/Murray partnered with Baranof Holdings LLC to complete Trunk Self Storage at 1674 20th Street. The facility features five levels, three above ground and two below and includes 52,914 square feet of storage spread across 427 units and 120 lockers. The project team included Shajee Jamal as project manager and David Theriot as site superintendent. Baranof Holdings, based in Dallas, has handled more than \$1.5 billion in storage-related assets since 2015.
U.S. Regional Highlights
Pennsylvania: BG Capital is awaiting approval to build a six-story, 181,000-square-foot facility in the Chase neighborhood. To accommodate local opposition, the developer indicated it would reduce the design to three stories if required. The firm plans to sell the approved property to a more experienced operator.
Georgia: Perez Leasing Inc. opened Forsyth Self Storage in Forsyth. The facility includes 57,700 rentable square feet in 165 units, plus vehicle storage. It is managed by Absolute Storage Management, which operates 144 locations across 15 states.
Florida: Multiple developments took shape:
In Florida, self-storage isn’t just about square footage. It’s about keeping up with a fast-growing, storm-conscious, always-on-the-move population. And this month, a few key players are stepping up.
Let’s start in Panama City, where Metropolitan Naples LLC got the green light to transform an older U-Haul site at 2001 E. Tamiami Trail. The plan? Two new buildings: one for traditional self-storage and the other for U-Box container storage. Combined, they’ll offer a massive 200,000 square feet of space. It’s not just about more boxes—it’s about smarter service. With Florida’s seasonal shifts and hurricane risks, more people want storage that’s flexible, mobile, and climate-controlled. This project checks all those boxes.
Meanwhile, in Jacksonville, the action is coming from two directions. Lonestar Properties Inc. is building a brand-new facility at 75 Chaffee Road N., while Miller Valentine Investments is developing a 3.7-acre site at 13435 N. Main Street. That one will include 779 units and 76,000 square feet of rentable space. It’s being built by Kaufman Lynn Construction, with land sourced by the real estate pros at Franklin Street.
Together, these projects speak to something bigger: Florida isn’t just growing—it’s stretching. Families, businesses, and retirees all need places to stash their stuff. And Jacksonville, in particular, is becoming a hub for storage that works as hard as the people who live there.
Alabama: Big Space, Small Town, Smart Timing
Opelika, Alabama just got a whole lot more room. First Storage officially opened the doors on its brand-new facility: 107,247 square feet of storage space, including 801 climate-controlled units. That’s not a typo. 801.
Why so many? Because demand is growing—and it’s not just seasonal. More people in the region are looking for secure, temperature-stable storage, whether for furniture, documents, or that kayak they only use twice a year. The facility is managed by Storage Asset Management (SAM), a national firm that knows a thing or two about keeping operations running smoothly. This isn’t just more space. It's a smarter space in a town that’s quickly earning its place on the map.
Texas: U-Haul Goes Bigger in League City
U-Haul is making a $5 million bet on League City, Texas. And it’s betting on growth, mobility, and the long-term need for safe, flexible storage.
The new facility, which will span 90,000 square feet, is part of U-Haul’s push to modernize its footprint in the Gulf Coast region. Think climate-controlled units. Think vehicle storage. Think future-proofing in a place where population growth and moving trucks are a package deal.
Construction kicks off this year, and if all goes as planned, the doors will open in 2026. It’s another sign that U-Haul isn’t just about rentals anymore. It’s about staying planted in fast-growing neighborhoods and making space—literally—for people’s lives.
South Carolina: Public Storage Sees What’s Coming
If you’ve driven through Duncan, South Carolina lately, you’ve probably seen the signs—new rooftops, new roads, new families moving in. Public Storage noticed too.
The company is building a four-story, 132,000-square-foot facility in Duncan as part of its larger strategy in the Southeast. As one of the biggest names in the storage business, Public Storage knows that growth isn’t just a trend here—it’s a pattern. More homes means more stuff. More stuff means more storage. And that’s exactly what this facility is designed to provide.
Tennessee: A New Chapter for a Steel Landmark
Sometimes, a building gets a second life. In Memphis, that’s exactly what’s happening to the former U.S. Steel Building on Riverside Drive.
Developer Trezevant Enterprises Inc. is transforming the space into a mixed-use property that includes Hamilton Self Storage with 400 climate-controlled units. But this isn’t just a storage project—it’s a full-scale redevelopment with 6,000 square feet of retail, 4,000 square feet of office and residential space, and 100 underground parking spots.
Trip Trezevant, who bought the building over a decade ago, envisions a place where people can live, work, and store what matters—all in one downtown hub. Retail tenants could include a café, a bank, or a boutique. In short, it’s smart reuse with a modern twist.
Nebraska: Small Town, Big Need
In Kimball, Nebraska, you won’t find a storage mega-facility. What you will find is something better: a facility built by people who live there.
Lexi and Riley Haug, the local duo behind Kimball Self Storage, opened the doors on a 50-unit drive-up facility this year. It’s small-scale, but perfectly sized for the local community. Even better, it’s built to grow—with room to expand and the possibility of adding RV or boat storage down the line.
This isn’t a national brand moving into a new ZIP code. It’s a family-owned project designed to meet real local needs. And in a rural market often overlooked by big investors, that kind of project matters.
International Activity
Cayman Islands: Bicar Ltd. and Mini Warehouse Two Ltd. received approval for a \$20 million mixed-use project on Walkers Road in George Town. It includes a three-story, 59,566-square-foot self-storage facility, two restaurants, and nearly 20,000 square feet of commercial space. The project is being built on the former site of Eden Centre, destroyed by Hurricane Ivan.
United Kingdom:
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Big Yellow Group PLC submitted a plan to develop an 89,485-square-foot facility in Leicester, replacing older buildings on Belgrave Gate. The company operates 109 facilities in the U.K.
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Safestore Holdings PLC is expanding its Twerton facility with new access stairs, offices, and additional units, along with updated security features and EV infrastructure.
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Shurgard Self Storage received permission to redevelop a Hampton industrial building into a two-story mixed-use complex with self-storage and business units, including sustainable features like solar panels and green roofing.
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SureStore opened a location in Gloucester by converting a former Cineworld theater into a 61,000-square-foot storage center with renewable energy systems.
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Extra Rooms Self Storage will soon open a new location in Nuneaton, converting a defunct real estate office into storage.
Germany: LagerBox opened a new 800-unit facility in Remscheid, featuring 46,284 square feet. It’s one of 35 facilities the company operates across 24 German cities.
Canada:
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Apple Self Storage will manage a new 126,199-square-foot facility in Bradford, Ontario, developed by Bradford Self-Storage Equities.
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Sentinel Self-Storage opened a 68,460-square-foot facility in Sherwood, Oregon, managed by West Coast Self Storage.
Developer and Investment Trends
Many of the reported projects in January reflect a growing preference for mixed-use development—particularly projects that blend self-storage with retail, office, and residential uses. This model was seen in Panama City (U-Haul), Memphis (Trezevant Enterprises), Deer Park (Hernandez Construction & Xsite Real Estate), and the Cayman Islands (Bicar Ltd.).
Additionally, developers are integrating more eco-conscious features into their designs, such as EV charging, solar panels, and energy-efficient lighting. Storage providers are also responding to demand for climate-controlled vehicle storage and larger format units suitable for boats and RVs.
Storage Caves Activity
Storage Caves also made headlines with expansion plans across North Carolina. The company purchased over 38 acres of land near the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord and 19 additional acres near Lake Norman in Denver. Both locations will feature single-story, climate-controlled units focused on vehicle and luxury storage. Groundbreaking is scheduled for later this quarter.
Final Notes
This report highlights the breadth of activity shaping self-storage growth at the start of 2025. With projects in motion across small towns, major metros, and international hubs, the sector continues to evolve through strategic partnerships, design flexibility, and responsiveness to local zoning concerns.
Source Credits: Original reporting by Inside Self-Storage, with details compiled from local news outlets and developer press releases. This summary is a transformed, original interpretation created for Storage Caves readers.