Category: Self-Storage

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Leupold + Stevens

Perlo developed this new distribution center adjacent to the Leupold & Stevens active manufacturing plant and constructed the building utilizing concrete tilt-up panels, metal decking, and built-up roofing. In addition to the main warehouse area, this project features a thickened slab for heavy material storage, two separate office spaces with custom finishes, a stormwater detention system, and public right of way improvements to accommodate a widened driveway.

The project team collaborated closely with the Architect, CIDA and Developer, Stratus Real Estate Developers throughout the preconstruction, design, and permitting process. The permitting process was complicated by the location of the building, since multiple jurisdictions weighed in on the project including the city of Beaverton and Washington County. Clean Water Services also required extensive permits and inspections. Building constraints also included maintaining access to the existing Leupold & Stevens manufacturing facility.

Reilly West – GXO

Constructed in Hillsboro, Oregon, this fully insulated, 27,000 SF concrete tilt-up building with steel decking is complete with racking, offices, break rooms, restrooms, and conference rooms, as well as both a walk-in cooler and freezer, and electric forklift chargers. In addition, the site includes twenty-seven dock doors, vehicular parking, electric vehicle charging stations and a large bio-swale and landscaping.

This unique project presented a myriad of obstacles that offered Perlo an opportunity to rise to the occasion to deliver successful results for the end-user. These obstacles were met with quick and creative thinking, extensive planning and coordination with all parties, and confidence in the capabilities and experience of the team. These obstacles included:

• Extensive rainfall (99 days with at least 1/10^th of an inch from August to June)
• Supply chain issues and delays in the delivery of the electrical gear and emergency backup generator
• Challenges in acquiring permits

Sandy Industrial Lot II

This sprawling industrial building was built on 8-acres in Portland, Oregon and features twenty-five dock doors, dock levelers, and 3,500 SF of office space. The projected required extensive sitework to remove and reuse what seemed like a never-ending supply of boulders and the integration of an eyebrow canopy to conceal required sprinkler heads.

During preconstruction, an extensive amount of planning was done to work with the site conditions and grades. Unlike most tilt buildings, the new tilt panels were installed about 11’ under the exterior finished grade, which dramatically complicated the tilt-up process. A specialty material was used for the backfill to ensure the panels will withhold the loading.

West Coast Self-Storage

Located in Happy Valley, Oregon, this project consisted of the ground-up construction of a 57,000 SF, three-story self-storage building and the remodel of an existing 41,000 SF tilt building. With a combined 98,000 square feet, Perlo completed both buildings in a compressed 11-month timeline. Each building’s design features high-end exterior finishes and architectural towers to meet the requirements of the local jurisdiction..

When asked about what made the project unique, Superintendent Mike Lutz had one word: “location.” The jobsite was in close proximity to a major roadway which required that the project team maintain strict traffic control measures to ensure all scheduled deliveries could access the site with ease. In addition, because of its dense, urban location, the site was small and difficult to manage.

Final Thoughts

Perlo Construction is never one to shy away from a challenge. We understand that in construction, every detail counts. Perlo Practice # 9 is to “Finish Strong: even if you get 99% right, they’ll only remember the 1% you get wrong”. We know that if we dig deep and ensure no stone is left unturned, we can meticulously execute our planning to deliver high-quality projects each and every time.

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StorQuest Self Storage

This recently completed project features a 4-story, ground-up, self-storage facility in Happy Valley, Oregon. The project included a daylight basement, metal truss roofing, and a covered loading dock. The unique design included varying pitched roofs at different elevations and cultured stone on the corners of the building. Additionally, the project was built on a hillside next to Rock Creek, which required our teams to excavate and export substantial amounts of dirt from the site. 

Due to rising costs, the project team sourced all materials during preconstruction to guarantee the project stayed on budget. According to Project Superintendent, Joe Kane, one of the greatest challenges of the project was the size of the building site. Because the site was so small, the material had to be stored offsite and trucked in ’just-in-time’ for installation. In addition, getting the concrete trucks and pump truck on site for pours was difficult, there was just enough room to back a single truck in. The others had to wait down to street to avoid blocking traffic on busy Sunnyside Road.

Herzog-Meier Mazda

This project consisted of the new, ground-up construction of a two-story Mazda showroom, the remodel of an existing service and parts sales building, and the addition of a new, ground-up service, detailing, and photo booth building.

From the preconstruction phase, special considerations and planning needed to be made to accommodate existing conditions and ongoing showroom operations, including:

• Large, underground water retention storage facility
• Site logistics
• Customer safety

Like so many projects completed within the last couple of years, supply chain disruptions presented an enormous obstacle for the team, but they were able to draw from recent experiences to enact strategies to keep the schedule on track.

True Terpenes

Located in Hillsboro, Oregon, this project consisted of a 22,000 SF tenant improvement in an existing office and warehouse space for a CBD production tenant. The scope of the project included constructing a second-level mezzanine, new office spaces, conference rooms, and a manufacturing space with clean rooms and warehouse storage.

To prepare for the project, special considerations needed to be made in the design to consider existing conditions, such as mechanical units, office spaces, and a stained concrete floor. The mezzanine was constructed above an existing office space which, according to Project Manager Adam Smelley, posed some challenges.  

Dragonberry Produce Expansion

This new 29,700 SF tilt-up concrete distribution center is located in Canby, Oregon and is the second facility Perlo has built for Dragonberry Produce. The building included a 6,100 SF cooler and a 2,500 SF freezer with high-speed doors, a natural gas generator, and two high-end office areas with a future separate tenant build-out area for nut processing. The site includes a loading dock, passenger car parking, two swales and drywells for storm water management, a truck scale, and two drive aisles for access.

There were two driving factors in the design of this project: flexibility and sustainability. As the Northwest’s premier specialty produce distributor, it was important to the client that their freezer have a dual function as both a freezer and cooler. To accommodate this, adjustments were made in the design, including a glycol system installed under the slab-on-grade to protect the concrete from freezing. Additionally, although natural gas generators are not common, this system was selected because it is more sustainable than diesel generators.

Final Thoughts

Perlo embraces the opportunity to prove our ability to adapt to and persevere over any challenges or adversity that might arise in the course of our projects. Our Perlo Practice #2, “Solutions show up as problems” is the core of our approach to any project. We pride ourselves on the creative and innovative thinking our team brings to the table that ultimately drives our success. We look forward to continued growth across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

One of real estate’s perhaps least talked about real estate sectors but nevertheless an important one is the self-storage market.  Nearly 9% of all Americans currently lease a storage unit – nearly half of which involve life transitions such as moving, downsizing, divorcing or other reasons. Perlo has been involved in the self-storage market for many years now, and the construction of these buildings are, indeed, unique. Today we will explore more about self-storage construction and why these facilities aren’t your everyday build.

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Where Self-Storage Projects are Located

Another challenge of the location of these infill properties is that the sites are very tight. The buildings often encompass almost the entire site, and the soils may be less than ideal due to bad soils, contamination or other factors. This makes the logistics of completing the work one of the hardest parts of the buildings process. Urban construction sites are challenging for a variety of reasons, so the use of an experienced general contractor for completing these buildings is a must. 

In more recent years, some developers are constructing these types of buildings in areas where new residential buildings are planned to land in the near future, hoping to take advantage of better building sites with the anticipation of users following soon after.  

Typical Building Components in Self-Storage

Steel structures with metal framing and finishes are the most common elements of self-storage facilities, with concrete foundations and floors, and TPO roofs.  As mentioned previously, they have to match local codes, so masonry, wood or other facades may be included to meet those requirements. The use of steel and other metals is critical for these buildings because it is non-combustible.  With the unpredictability of what individuals may store inside these units, it’s necessary to reduce hazardous materials.

Types of Self-Storage Projects

There are a variety of project types in the self-storage market.  Of late, there have been numerous ground-up projects, but they can also be remodels, conversions from previous uses or expansions of existing facilities. Regardless of the type of project, they tend to involve similar finishes and upgrades to the structures to achieve the load ratings that self-storage buildings require. These often involve a refresh of the finishes to make them more attractive to potential customers.   

Construction Sequencing and Logistics

We have established that self-storage buildings are complex in terms of building sites and structures. These factors contribute to a need to run the sites efficiently and effectively in terms of materials deliveries and site logistics. Some of the factors that must be considered include:

The self-storage market is also largely dependent on the specialty subcontractors that complete the metal framing, walls and doors that are standard for this building type.  There are only a few subcontractors that perform this work, and once they engage on a project, they want to complete their work without interruption. The project management and superintendent teams must think critically about the scheduling of work crews and ensure these specialty subcontractors can move quickly and efficiently through their work.

The Future of Self-Storage

The future of the self-storage market appears optimistic.  According to Mordor Intelligence, the market is projected to continue with positive growth through 2026. As households downsize and the population increases, the need for these spaces is only growing. In addition, investors have been moving funds into this market at increasing rates. According to Forbes, even investors like Bill Gates have invested in self-storage. It’s been said that this market is recession proof and provides great returns.

We project that this is a market that will continue to grow along the West Coast and have several projects in the pipeline for completion over the next couple of years.

Final Thoughts

Self-storage work is a unique building type that requires extensive expertise to complete correctly.  Our teams are well versed in self-storage construction of all kinds and are available to discuss any building opportunities you may have.

If you’d like to get in touch with our teams, please give us a call at 503.624.2090 or fill out an inquiry form on our contact us page.