FACILITY SPOTLIGHT
“We’ve been in the self-storage industry since 1983, under various brands, and have always strived to innovate,” De Curtins says. “When we created the Bluebird brand, our goal was to leverage our experience and innovation by developing the most premium self-storage product in the most highly sought-after retail locations across Canada.” One of its newest properties, Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St., has a prominent location within the Mahogany Village (McKenzie Towne) district of Southeast Calgary. “We’ve had a dominating presence in the market for over four years,” De Curtins says, adding that it’s a dense, high-profile area with high barriers to entry. “The competi- tion is outdated.”
Next-Generation Storage
After breaking ground for the project and spending a considerable amount of time and effort working with the city of Calgary and Hopewell Residential to ensure the facility would be a good fit in the community aesthetically, Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. opened for business on Feb. 1, 2024. Within 45 days of opening, 10 percent of the facility’s 909 climate-controlled units were leased. That impressive leasing momentum can be attributed to the area’s pent-up demand for institutional-quality self-storage. With an attractive façade and popular amenities, De Curtins calls the facility a “gold standard” location. “Located in the middle of one of the most affluent mixed- use communities in Calgary, our Mahogany project consists of approximately 120,000 square feet of self-storage along with a fully integrated express car wash tunnel,” he says. “This innovative project is an excellent example of our focus on building next-generation, lifestyle storage.” De Curtins goes on to say, “Self-storage has undergone significant changes in recent years, and this is due in part to a fundamental shift in housing development. Since the Great Recession, residential developers have focused on
smaller and more efficient living environments. There’s been a wave of people returning to urban living, seeking the amenities to live, work, and play in proximity. These consumers want self-storage to be near where they live and work and basically serve as an extra closet or storage for a primary or side business. Lifestyle storage serves as an integral part of modern living. Next-generation self- storage projects like Mahogany require significant engage- ment with neighborhood leaders, review boards, and planning staff. Bluebird has remained an industry leader in delivering well-designed facilities that have both architec- tural significance and harmonious contextual integration. Today, an increasing number of planning departments are embracing this modern building type. This approach, coupled with our prolific track record, has paved the way for a huge pipeline of approved Bluebird locations in retail, residential, mixed-use, and transit-oriented zones across Canada.”
As an infill location, Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. was built on an empty retail pad in a grocery-anchored retail development in an area that De Curtins says is still experiencing substantial growth. To accommodate the increasing population, there are four mid-rise to high-rise developments planned for parcels adjacent to the self-storage facility. In addition, a lot across the street will eventually house a light rail station.
The planned growth for Mahogany Village bodes well for Bluebird Self Storage, as residents of the apartment build- ings will have a “tremendous need” for storage, especially since newer apartment units are being built smaller (27 percent smaller, on average, than they were a decade ago). De Curtins says they have nowhere to store recreational items or items needed for their side businesses. “Many tenants who operate businesses from their homes store their items there.” Per the request of the local neighbourhood association, the exterior of Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. was designed to emulate the Prairie style of architecture that was pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright and inspired by the broad, flat landscape of America’s Midwest. The three-story facility’s top-notch aesthetics include glazing and “a nice mix of materials and architectural features,” says De Curtins. Nestled between warm, faux wood panels adorned with the company’s name and blue- bird logo is a corner of windows that creates a picturesque focal point to showcase the industry’s recognizable roll-up doors on the top two floors and produce transparency for the rental office (appropriated referred to as the “nest”) on the ground level. Metal louvered awnings serve as a hori- zontal design element across the façade. “Visually, it’s one of the most beautiful projects we’ve built to date,” De Curtins says, adding that they have developed approximately 150 self-storage facilities through- out Canada and the southeastern United State, operating
14 Spring 2024
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