SAN FRANCISCO-“The local storage market has held up nicely throughout the recession.” So says Bill Hobin, president and CEO of Santa Monica, CA-based William Warren Group, whorecently chatted with GlobeSt.com about a recent self-storage facility buy the firm had—its third purchase the Oakland, CA-area.
A week ago, the firm bought Beacon Self Storage, a 954-unit self storage facility in Oakland, CA, marking its sixth Northern California facility. WWG, which owns and operates StorQuest Self Storage throughout California and several Western US markets, purchased the self storage facility from AGI Capital for $8.8 million.
According to a prepared statement, “the 62,125-square-foot facility is located at 2227 San Pablo Ave. in downtown Oakland and has excellent visibility from the 980 Freeway, a key factor in the transaction for WWG. With a daily traffic count of 200,000 cars, the location offers strategic exposure as WWG expands the StorQuest name in the Bay Area.”
Hobin tells GlobeSt.com that he has seen increased demand from larger numbers of multi-tenant building residents “that need an extra closet that they don't have in their residential apartment.” He adds that “As downtown Oakland continues its redevelopment phase, we believe the market will continue to improve, and this particular asset is right in the middle of it.”
According to Hobin, “True economies of scale can be achieved by owning and operating multiple self storage properties in one market. This acquisition increases our regional brand visibility and gives all of our properties economic benefit from our expanding StorQuest advertising budget.”
The newly acquired facility will be renovated to meet StorQuest Self Storage brand standards, including an exterior facelift, new identity signage that maximizes the property's freeway exposure and a new color scheme. StorQuest recently underwent a broad rebranding campaign featuring the customer centric slogan “Your Stuff Matters,” including the introduction of a new logo, marketing materials and an updated website.
The firm continues its strategy to grow its StorQuest Self Storage brand throughout California and other western states, according to a prepared statement. WWG manages a total portfolio of 41,700 self storage units in 60 facilities in the Western US.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
