Contain Your Enthusiasm, Four New Self Storage Facilities Are Planned For Atlanta

I, like many Atlantans, am worried about what seems to be an endless onslaught on new "luxury apartments." Aside from their rents being out of the reach of many, in a number of cases, the complexes are replacing unique structures and/or trees.  

While these are all unfortunate byproducts of a multi-family development market on the upswing, the worst effect may be the increase in proposed self-storage facilities. 

Lindbergh Self Storage will soon open in place of the former Varsity Jr.  

The beloved Varsity Jr. on Lindbergh Drive was already a victim of this phenomenon, with workers nearing completion of the new self-storage and retail facility that is replacing it.
Now, I've learned that four new self-storage facilities are being proposed within a short distance of the new facility on Lindbergh.  Not only that, there are already numerous existing storage businesses in the immediate area. 

Land being cleared for the new "Lenox Self Storage" 

1) 2531 Lenox Road - Work on "Lenox Self Storage" is already underway at the corner of Lenox Road and Buford Highway. The parcel is 3.5 acres but with only a little over 1 acre of useable space. The north fork of Peachtree Creek comes through the site as does a sewer line.  There is also a lot of rock and a steep slope, leaving the limited amount of land to be developed.  With the assistance of a local resident, the five-story, 600 space self-storage facility is being designed to look like an office building in attempt to match the aesthetic of neighboring businesses.  This location is a mere three tenths of a mile from Extra Space Storage on Cheshire Bridge Road and just six tenths of a mile from the Varsity Jr. property. 

(The Extra Space Storage was an especially efficient operation given it represents the renovation of rather than demolition of a former Service Merchandise retail building.)

2) 2033 Monroe Drive – "RRB DEVELOPMENT, LLC" is proposing the demolition of an existing building and the construction of a four-story, 119,910 square foot building for climate-controlled self-storage with offices and 32 parking spaces.  The building the firm hopes to demolish is not empty, as it currently serves as the headquarters of Proof of the Pudding, a popular Atlanta-based catering and events company in business since 1979.  A Proof representative with whom I spoke indicated that they had heard the "rumors" of the storage facility, but were waiting to see how the redevelopment proposal panned out before making plans to vacate.  The Proof property sits on 1.43 acres.  

3) 2160 Monroe Drive – Barely three tenths of mile from the Proof property, another storage facility is being proposed. Easily the most upsetting, another firm plans to demolish the landmark "Mushroom" former Trust Company Bank designed by famed architect Henri Jova in 1962. The project would involve the demotion of the unique mid-century modern building (currently home to a restaurant/lounge/daiquiri bar  aptly named Cirque) and the construction of a new five-story, 85,890 square foot climate- controlled self-storage facility with ground level retail space and 28 parking spaces.  

The building has served a number of purposes following SunTrust's 2000 closure of the building as a bank.  Piebar, a restaurant from Concentrics Hospitality, occupied the space from mid 2005 until late 2007.  While the subsequent restaurants/lounges/clubs have been less than exciting, I have to think that someone can do something better than a big ole storage joint.  The bank building sits on just under one acre.  

(By the way, there is already a large Public Storage facility at 2115 Monroe Drive, literally between the two newly proposed projects.)

4) 1484 Northside Drive – "RRB DEVELOPMENT, LLC" also plans to redevelop a 1.58 acre property on Northside Drive next to the Goodwill store & donation center.  The project would involve the demolition of existing building (currently a Hertz equipment rental business) and parking lot.   The firm would then construct two new buildings, including a four-story, 127,790 square foot climate-controlled self-storage facility and a single story 3,597 square foot office building. The project would have 25 parking spaces and 4 loading spaces.

Each of the latter three proposed, but not yet approved or under construction parcels are zoned L-1 (light industrial) meaning they are already zoned appropriately for their proposed new uses.  

In my mind, the Lenox and Northside locations make the most sense.  The two Monroe properties makes the least sense.  

Storing your stuff is not cheap. 

With seemingly endless options through which one can liquidate unwanted items, why do so many  feel the need to contribute to what is projected to be a $32.7 billion business this year? 

Ebay, Craigslist, local Facebook selling groups, Etsy, Close5, 5Miles, Mercari, letgo and your classic selling [purging] opportunities like yard sales, countless avenues exist to help you get rid of stuff.

Bloomberg Businessweek noted that between 1998 and 2012 the number of self storage units in the U.S. doubled.  The publication quoted Ronald Havner, CEO of industry leader Public Storage, as crediting the rise to what he called the "four D's" - Death, Divorce, Disaster & Dislocation. 

Clearly the developers are proposing these projects because there is a need: remove the need, sell your crap.  

Do you think Atlanta needs all these additional storage facilities? Do you currently rent a storage unit? Given the alternative, what type of business do you think would thrive in the Jova building?

Please share your thoughts below.