Fine-Art Self-Storage Operator Uovo Continues to Open Facilities in New York City

Update 10/14/24 - Uovo Owner Steve Guttman is seeking permission from the New York Department of City Planning to develop a seven-story, mixed-use building in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn that’ll include retail space and self-storage for fine art The building at 74 Bogart St. would comprise 240,000 square feet of climate-controlled space to house valuable pieces from collectors, galleries and museums. The retail component would encompass 16,000 square feet. Chelsea, N.Y.-based design firm S9 Architecture is a partner on the project. This facility would be Uovo’s fifth overall and its second in the neighborhood, according to a source.

Source: Crain’s New York Business, Fine Art Storage Firm Planning Second Brooklyn Warehouse

Update 12/21/18 – Uovo has revealed additional details on its Brooklyn self-storage conversion project. The property at 105 Evergreen Ave. was acquired for $47 million, with total project costs expected to be about $76 million. Construction will begin in January, with completion still expected by the fall, according to a press release. The parcel footprint is 77,000 square feet.

8/29/18 – Uovo is embarking on its second self-storage conversion project in New York, this time in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn. The resulting 150,000-square-foot facility will offer climate-controlled storage “designed to meet or exceed the standards of the world’s leading museums,” company officials said in a press release. It’s scheduled to open during fall 2019.

The building, constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, will include storage units across three floors, with 20-foot ceiling heights to accommodate large works of art. It’ll also include four fully enclosed loading docks, two freight elevators, and “ample” parking space to accommodate tractor trailers, the release stated. “Green initiatives such as LED lighting will be incorporated throughout the building for increased sustainability,” officials said.

The facility will be designed to safely house archival, design, fashion and fine-art collections under the guidance of Uovo executives, according to the release. It’ll employ a full-time staff of art handlers to assist with customer needs, including transportation, installation, shipping and packing. The site is walking distance from four subway lines.

“Since opening Uovo in 2014, we have seen an unprecedented demand for our integrated art storage and services, which represent a complete re-imagining of the industry,” said Steven Guttman, founder and chairman. “Opening ‘Uovo: Brooklyn’ is our latest contribution to supporting New York’s cultural community, including artists, collectors, galleries, designers, fashion houses and museums.”

“Clients who reserve private storage areas prior to the 2019 opening will have the option for complete customization of their spaces,” added CEO Steve Novenstein.

The Brooklyn storage facility will be the company’s fourth. When it’s complete, Uovo will operate more than 650,000 square feet of storage in the region.

2/6/17 – Uovo, a New York self-storage operator specializing in fine art, has opened a facility in the Blauvelt hamlet in Orangetown, N.Y. The company acquired about 9 acres at 100 Bradley Parkway last year for $14 million and converted a 34-year-old industrial building. The new facility has 140,000-square-feet of climate- and temperature-controlled space, according to the source. It offers private storage rooms and warehouse space as well as private workspaces and a viewing room.

The business, whose name means “egg” in Italian, was founded in 2013 by art collector Steven Guttman. Guttman also founded Storage Deluxe Management Co. in Manhattan, N.Y., which has developed more than 55 self-storage facilities, according to the source. He’s also the former CEO of Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns and redevelops commercial real estate in coastal markets.

This is the company’s third storage facility. Uovo now operates 520,000 square feet of storage in the region. It opened a 280,000-square-foot facility in Long Island City, N.Y., two years ago and has a 100,000-square-foot location in Orangeburg, N.Y.

Sources:
Fairfield County Business Journal, UOVO Opens Second Fine Arts Storage Space in Rockland County
Uovo, Website

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