$7.2 million self-storage building set to open in Lacey

The majority of a $7.2 million, 100,000-square-foot self-storage facility is set to open next month in Lacey, a project that was one year in the making and features 718 self-storage units.

The self-storage destination is called College Point Storage at 4643 Marcus Lane, which is part of a commercial development called Whitman Village at Yelm Highway and College Street. College Point Storage is near a QFC store.

The entire project measures 107,000 square feet, said developer Jeff Powell of Prime Development Group of Lacey. A portion of the project -- single-story perimeter units -- have already opened, while the balance of the facility, a three-story, 90,000-square-foot building will open on Nov. 1.

“We didn’t want it to look like a typical storage place,” Powell said about the design, which he compared to the look of a research and development facility. It also incorporated recycled steel and concrete into its design.

The building’s height makes it visible from Yelm Highway, he said.

Powell began the project a year ago because market research showed there were plenty of people living in the area who might need storage. Data showed 6,500 rooftops within a three-mile radius, including the subdivisions Summerwalk and Horizon Pointe, he said.

The 90,000-square-foot portion of the self-storage is climate-controlled, comes equipped with two freight elevators, 16 security cameras and sensor-activated lighting. Unit rents range from $40 to $144 per month, depending on the size. It's open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Twenty-five self-storage units have been reserved so far and reservation requests continue daily, Powell said. West Coast Self Storage is managing the property, he said.