UPDATE 1/28/26 - 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 additional activity taking place in January 2026.
Auburn Storage opened in Auburn, Alabama. The self-storage facility at 651 Veterans Blvd. comprises 89,839 square feet in 483 climate-controlled and drive-up units. It’ll be managed by Storage Asset Management, a property-management company based in York, Pennsylvania. Auburn Storage is locally owned by graduates of Auburn University.
Safely Store Self Storage is taking over a former movie theater in North Bergen, New Jersey. Empire Cinemas Columbia Park 12 was shuttered in 2019. The 1.07-acre property at 3131 Kennedy Blvd. contains a two-story, 73,398-square-foot building that’ll be converted into a four-story structure comprising 103,000 net rentable square feet of climate-controlled storage. Safely Store is an investment platform launched in 2023 by Iron Point Partners LLC and Taylor/Theus Holdings Inc.
Related:Finding Our Self-Storage Purpose: Why We Decided to Build Ranch House Storage in Pine Valley, CA
Safestore Holdings PLC, which operates 192 self-storage locations in Europe and the United Kingdom, received permission from the Woking, England, Borough Council to redevelop an industrial site in Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate into self-storage. Plans for the property on Goldsworth Road call for a two-story building comprising 25,876 square feet. A previous plan was approved in 2024, but Safestore revised it to address traffic concerns.
Safestore also received permission from the Bexley, England, Council to develop self-storage and workspace on a lot in Belvedere Park that’s been vacant for more than two decades. The company intends to build a four-story structure with a living green wall, electric-vehicle charging stations, solar panels and other sustainable features. The developer is targeting an “Excellent” rating from the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology.
In addition, Safestore received permission to open a new location in Norbiton, a borough in Kingston upon Thames, London. Plans for the property on Manorgate Road include demolishing three existing structures and developing a four-story building comprising 20,840 square feet. Safestore operates facilities in Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the U.K. Its properties comprise more than 8.5 million square feet of storage space and serve approximately 90,000 customers.
The Storage Center, which operates more than 70 self-storage facilities in six states, opened a new location in Conway, Arkansas. The three-story building at 425 6th St. comprises 85,200 square feet in 706 climate-controlled units. Prairieville, Louisiana–based Rosehill Construction served as the general contractor. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Storage Center offers climate-controlled, business and vehicle-storage spaces.
Related:Self-Storage Development and Zoning Activity: February 2026
Timpanogas LLC received permission from the Joliet, Illinois, Zoning Board of Appeals to develop a self-storage facility on a 3.9-acre lot at 1701 Drauden Road. The company will construct a single-story, climate-controlled building comprising 10,950 square feet and six drive-up buildings offering a total of 370 units. The original proposal was turned down by the city council in 2021 and brought before the zoning board of appeals in 2021 and 2023. The city council will review the project for final approval.
Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. received approval from the Durango, Colorado, City Council to build a three-story, 108,174-square-foot self-storage facility at 59 Copper Court. It’ll feature more muted colors than a standard U-Haul building, as exterior roll-up doors must be white instead of the company’s typical orange. Established in 1945, U-Haul owns and manages more than 1,800 self-storage facilities comprising approximately 89.6 million square feet across North America.
Related:Building Smarter: How the Design/Build Process Is Used to Improve Self-Storage Development and Construction
Sources:BBC, Plans for Industrial Estate in Woking ApprovedCitizen Portal, Joliet Board Recommends Self-Storage Project at Drowden Road be Sent to City CouncilDurango Herald, Durango City Council Gives Preliminary Approval For New U-Haul Self-Storage BuildingKingston Nub News, Self-Storage Facility Chain to Open New Venue in KingstonNJ Biz, Former North Bergen Movie Theater Sold, Set for Self-StoragePatch, 370 Self-Storage Units For Drauden Road Proposed Again: What Will City Of Joliet Do This Time?PR Newswire, The Storage Center Grows in Conway, Arkansas With Launch of 706-Unit, 85,200-SF Self-Storage FacilitySparefoot, North Carolina Company Sets Sights on Creating Self-Storage Portfolio
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Posted 1/15/26 - 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 activity taking place in January 2026.
404 Fraser Circle Holdings, which is registered to Leonard Olim, the founder of Big Lenny’s Storage, has purchased 14th Street Plaza in Ocala, Florida, from Ocala Square LLC for $3.1 million. No public announcement has been made on the future of the 1.7-acre property at 1007 N.E. 14th St. Big Lenny’s operates seven facilities in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
AJR Capital Group LLC received permission from the Buellton, California, Planning Commission to convert the former Terravant Wine Co. to self-storage. Plans for the 48,800-square-foot warehouse at 70 Industrial Way all for 470 interior and 44 drive-up units. The building was constructed on 2.1 acres in 2004 and became vacant in 2023. Los Angeles-based AJR is a real estate firm with a focus on developing multi-family and self-storage assets.
The Ardent Cos., through its Self-Storage Development Fund II, and Ironwood Development Partners converted a former Pets Warehouse in Copiague, New York, to self-storage. Managed and branded by real estate investment trust (REIT) Extra Space Storage Inc., the three-story building at 1550 Sunrise Highway comprises 108,201 square feet in 970 units. Huntington Station, New York-based Park East Construction served as the general contractor. The project was designed by Center Moriches, New York-based Michael Sudano Architect. Ardent is a privately held real estate firm focused on diversified investment strategies. Atlanta-based Ironwood specializes in developing self-storage facilities in high-barrier-to-entry markets.
Arctic Edge Self Storage opened in Iron River, Wisconsin. The facility at 3795 Highway B offers drive-up units. The local chamber of commerce and Town of Oulu Board Chairman Jon Hamilton joined property managers Neil Nord and Yvette Robertson for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the business.
Bradford Park Self Storage received permission from the Jonesborough, Tennessee, Planning Commission to build a new facility on a 5.6-acre site on Presidential Drive. The project was previously approved in August 2024, but design changes were submitted for consideration. Revisions call for splitting one large building into two structures on one lot and adding a climate-controlled building on the other.
CrownPoint Group Inc. broke ground on a self-storage project in South River, New Jersey. The property at 696 Old Bridge Turnpike will contain three-story building comprising 105,500 square feet in 854 units. Once complete, it’ll be branded and operated by Extra Space. Based in Parsippany, New Jersey, CrownPoint is a privately held real estate development and investment company.
Great American Storage, which operates five self-storage facilities in five states, opened a new location in Stratford, New Jersey. The three-story building at 76 Berlin Road comprises 107,100 square feet in 814 climate-controlled and drive-up units. It was developed in partnership with RSG Development, a privately held real estate development firm based in Houston. Founded in 2001, Great American is a real estate company that develops and operates boat/RV storage, garage suites and self-storage. It has facilities in California, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey and North Carolina.
Hide-N-Seek Mega Storage opened in Bemidji, Minnesota. The self-storage facility at 4664 Stacy Ann Drive N.W. offers drive-up and vehicle storage. Its grand opening was attended by ambassadors of the local chamber of commerce.
Hernandez Development & Construction opened a self-storage facility in Carol Stream, Illinois, that’s managed and branded by REIT CubeSmart. The three-story building at 27W010 North Ave. comprises 71,510 net rentable square feet in 661 climate-controlled and drive-up units. Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Hernandez is a commercial real estate development and investment company that operates six self-storage facilities in Florida and Illinois.
OT Ventures LLC and ProSafe Acquisition LLC are seeking approval from the Mathews County, Virginia, Planning Commission to build ProSafe Storage on a 9.7-acre parcel in Cobbs Creek. If the project on Twiggs Ferry Road is approved, it’ll be developed in phases, beginning with two buildings comprising a total of 35,000 square feet in 225 units. Future phases could include two more storage structures for a total of 79,900 square feet, plus outdoor vehicle storage or shop units for small businesses. The parcel is part of a 23-acre plot that extends to Buckley Hall Road. The planning commission suggested separating it from the remaining acreage to allow for future development. The county board of supervisors held a public hearing this week to discuss the application. Owned by Mike Hanky, ProSafe operates two self-storage facilities in Kilmarnock and Richmond, Virginia, and one each in Ohio and South Carolina.
Pandora Self-Storage (Pandora Mini-Entrepôts) recently opened two locations in Quebec, Canada. The facility at 195 Brunswick Blvd. in Pointe-Clair opened in December, while the multi-story building at 16781 Autoroute Transcanadienne in Kirkland opened this month. Both offer climate-controlled units. Pandora is developing a third site at 3050 Boulevard Matte in Brossard. Construction began in July, with completion slated for later this year.
Pink Storage, which operates 22 self-storage facilities throughout the United Kingdom, opened three container-storage facilities in England:
The new location on Southwell Lane in Nottingham offers 203 units.
The £1.2 million development on 1.1 acres in The Galleries Retail Park in Washington contains 220 units.
The 1-acre property on Road 3 in Winsford offers 200 units.
Founded in 2016 by Scott Evans, Pink Storage also offers mobile storage, traditional self-storage and related services.
Poverni Sheikh Group LLC is developing a mixed-use project on a 1.6-acre site it purchased last year in Pearl City, Oahu, Hawaii, for $6.5 million. Scheduled to open in early 2027, it’ll contain a six-story building comprising 115,400 square feet of self-storage and 2,700 square feet of retail. The site will also feature a community garden and a dog park.
Poverni is also developing a self-storage facility in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. Also scheduled to open in early 2027, the three-story building in the Coral Creek Center will comprise 152,000 square feet. Both facilities will be managed by Extra Space. Based in Columbia, Maryland, Poverni specializes in the adaptive reuse of historic and distressed structures. It also provides brokerage, construction, development and property-management services. Its real estate portfolio includes mixed-use, multi-family and office properties.
Safeguard Self Storage, which operates 88 facilities in six states, opened a conversion project in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The company purchased the building at 2680 North Ave. in 2023. It offers 90,350 net rentable square feet in 1,263 units. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Atlanta, Safeguard is owned and operated by Morgan Stanley’s Prime Property Fund.
SAFStor Inc., doing business as SAFStor Old Lincoln LLC, is seeking permission from the Winslow Township, New Jersey, Zoning Board to build a self-storage facility at 500 Cross Keys Road. Plans call for a two-story building comprising 122,000 square feet. Founded in 2017, Daytona Beach, Florida-based SAFStor operates 31 locations nationwide comprising 5 million square feet. It has an annual development pipeline of approximately 1.2 million square feet.
Shurgard Self Storage Europe SARL, the European affiliate of U.S.-based REIT Public Storage Inc., is building a facility in Oldham, England. Plans call for a four-story structure comprising 63,507 square feet in 900 units.
Shurgard is also developing a new location in Dusseldorf, Germany. Plans include a three-story building comprising 69,965 square feet in 920 units. Both projects are scheduled to open in 2028. Shurgard operates 348 self-storage facilities comprising 1.7 million net rentable square meters in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K.
SmartStop Self Storage REIT Inc., purchased a 1.8-acre parcel in Toronto on which it plans to develop a self-storage facility with partner SmartCentres. Scheduled to open in late 2027, the four-story building at 1125 Finch Ave. will comprise 100,000 net rentable square feet in 1,100 climate-controlled units. SmartStop owns or manages 460 self-storage facilities in 35 states, comprising 35 million rentable square feet. The company and its affiliates also own or manage 49 storage properties in Canada totaling 4.3 million rentable square feet. SmartCentres develops industrial, mixed-use residential and urban properties across Canada, with a portfolio of nearly 200 assets.
SRA Ventures Ltd., which operates the Locked Self Storage brand, received planning permission to add a second phase to its development in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. SRA gained approval in June to convert a former police station to a self-storage facility comprising 16,000 square feet in more than 80 interior units. The £1 million second phase adds modular storage units and flexible workspaces. An additional eight drive-up units will be created from the site’s existing outdoor buildings. The facility might also serve as the brand’s headquarters. SRA owns and manages a Scottish commercial portfolio that includes industrial, retail and mixed-use assets.
Storage Sense, which operates more than 250 self-storage properties nationwide, opened a new location in Lexington, South Carolina. The facility at 2530 S. Lake Drive comprises 109,225 square feet in 754 units. It’ll be managed by Storage Asset Management, a property-management company based in York, Pennsylvania.
Sources:2 Urban Girls, Pandora Self-Storage Grows Across Montreal With Three Locations42 Freeway, Two-Story Storage Facility Proposed for Winslow Cross Keys RoadAshland Daily Press, Arctic Edge Self Storage Opens for Business in Iron RiverThe Bemidji Pioneer, Chamber Ambassadors Welcome Hide-N-Seek Mega StorageBusinessWire, SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. Announces Strategic Land Acquisition for Class A Self-Storage Development in TorontoCity of Buellton, New Self-Storage Facility at 70 Industrial WayColumbia Daily Tribune, Great American Storage Celebrates Grand Opening of New Stateof-the-Art Facility in Stratford, NJGloucester-Mathews Gazette, Planners Endorse Self-Storage Facility Plan for Cobbs CreekHernandez, Carol Stream Self-Storage, Chicago MSAJohnson City Press, Planning Commission Advances Subdivision, Site Plan For Storage FacilityLong Island Business News, New Self-Storage Facility Opens on Sunrise Highway in CopiagueMy Central Jersey, 3-Story Self-Storage Facility Coming to Route 18, Old Bridge TurnpikeNewsby Wire, Pink Storage Continues Accelerated Growth With New Cheshire BranchOcala News, Storage Company Buys East Ocala Shopping Plaza For $3.1 MillionPacific Business News, Mainland Developer Plans Mixed-Use Self-Storage Project in Pearl CityPacific Business News, Mainland Investors Pour Money Into Hawaii Self-Storage Market With at Least Six New ProjectsPress Reader, Plans Are Approved for New Self-Storage FacilityReal Estate NJ, CrownPoint Breaks Ground on 106,000 sq. ft. Self-Storage Project in Central JerseySanta Maria Sun, Buellton Planning Commission Approves New Self-Storage Site on Industrial WayStreet Insider, Pandora Self-Storage Expands Storage Services to Pierrefonds Through Nearby Montreal LocationsSunderland Echo, Pink Storage Opens 25th UK Site With £1.2m Investment in Washington
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