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January 11, 2017 | By Carrie Rossenfeld                       

ESCONDIDO, CA—Self-storage may become more of an integrated part of residential development as this becomes more concentrated with much higher densities and on a grander scale, Brandywine Homes’ Mark Whitehead tells GlobeSt.com.

Whitehead: “The new [self-storage] clientele is comprised of savvy and sophisticated shoppers heavily geared to female visitors .”

ESCONDIDO, CA—Self-storage may become more of an integrated part of residential development as this becomes more concentrated with much higher densities and on a grander scale, Brandywine Homes’ principal in charge of construction Mark Whitehead tells GlobeSt.com. The firm recently purchased 3.2 acres of vacant land at 2319 Cranston Dr. in Escondido’s Kit Carson neighborhood and will build 586 self-storage units totaling on 1.74 acres and four custom homes on 12,602-square-foot to 14,000-square-foot lots. This is Brandywine’s first ground-up self-storage development project.

We spoke with Whitehead about self-storage as an integral part of residential development and where he sees this trend heading.

GlobeSt.com: What was the impetus behind the ground-up self-storage development in Escondido?

Whitehead: There were several reasons for us to entitle and build our own facility from the ground up in Escondido. First, we are able to generate greater site and product value through controlling the design, entitlement and future construction process. Second, Escondido was chosen because of its central location in San Diego County, coupled with significant projected growth in residential dwelling units, primarily multifamily in form and density, in the community.

GlobeSt.com: Is it common to include self-storage facilities as a component of homebuilding?

Whitehead: No, it is not common to include self-storage facilities as part of homebuilding or as an integrated part of any larger-scale residential development. However, it may become more related as future development becomes more concentrated with much higher densities and on a grander scale. In the case of our new complex, we were encouraged by the City of Escondido to bifurcate the site due to a significant grade break through the property that basically caused the easterly half to relate to existing single-family homes to which the new lots would face, while orienting the westerly portion toward existing commercial operations along Escondido Blvd. Well-planned developments must relate properly to existing edge conditions and neighborhoods around them.

GlobeSt.com: What other trends are you noticing in homebuilding?

Whitehead: As alluded to previously, urban, suburban and exurban development is in a sea change in living lifestyles. Generation Xers, who have been a tremendous boon to the housing industry in terms of more-traditional living preferences, have found themselves now sandwiched between the Boomers heading for retirement accommodations. In addition, Millennials, who dwarf both the Xers and Boomers in sheer numbers, are postponing homeownership and leaning heavily toward multifamily rental accommodations.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about ground-up self-storage?

Whitehead: An interesting aspect of self-storage development is that the design of storage space requires more than door count. Today, the typical customer storing and visiting their belongings is not the old “work from the back of my truck” contractors, even though they many still rent space. The new clientele is comprised of savvy and sophisticated shoppers heavily geared to female visitors. Space utilization, amenities such as climate controlled spaces, well-lit and easily accessible units become more important than ever.

Critical in our entire thought process has been that we are building to keep this self-storage development long term. When you think this way, you want your work and management product to be the best there is in the business.