Self-Storage Facility Construction in the Denver Metro

The business park on Sheridan's South Santa Fe Drive frontage shows what infill storage land looks like in this metro: auto salvage, a recycling center, a lumber yard, auto repair and light manufacturing packed between Santa Fe Drive, Oxford and Union avenues and the South Platte River. The city planned Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessments for its parcels through EPA's Targeted Brownfield Assessment program to estimate remediation costs. A self-storage developer looking at ground like that is buying a site problem as much as a building.

The building itself is simple. Single-story drive-up units are a light steel or metal-panel frame on a thickened slab, and multi-story climate-controlled buildings are a steel or masonry frame with an elevator and a shared corridor system. What separates a profitable project from a stalled one is everything around the building: soil and groundwater review, drainage, truck turning for moving vans, fire access and a gate and camera system that works from the first rental.

We build both formats for developers, funds and operators. We coordinate the stormwater detention and drainage and paving packages that decide whether the site is approved, and we hold the schedule so lease-up can begin on the promised date.

Site First, Then Units

We start with the diligence package. Phase 1 environmental reports, geotechnical borings and survey information give us the boundaries of what the site will allow: depth to groundwater, fill, buried utilities and the floodplain status. Commerce City, for example, uses a FEMA flood hazard map based on a study dated March 5, 2007, which affects finished floor elevations on parcels near drainage ways.

From there we price the building three ways: a drive-up scheme, a multi-story climate-controlled scheme, and a hybrid. Developers frequently find that the hybrid pays back because it uses site frontage for visible climate-controlled units while pushing drive-up buildings to the back. We build to the chosen scheme with a single crew set, using pre-engineered metal buildings for the drive-up rows and conventional steel or masonry for the multi-story.

What We Build on a Storage Site

The scope covers earthwork, utilities, detention, retaining walls where the grade requires them, building foundations, framing, roofing, unit doors, office and management space, and paving. Fire protection varies by building size and height; a multi-story building commonly needs sprinklers and a fire access plan agreed with the local fire official, while smaller drive-up rows may not.

Security is part of the scope, not an add-on. Gate operators, camera conduit, keypads and lighting are all installed before paving is finished, so the owner never has to saw-cut new asphalt. Our fencing and security integration group coordinates with the operator's technology vendor, and the electrical partners we coordinate provide the electrical site work for pole fixtures and building wall packs.

Loads, Frost and Code

Structural design follows the local jurisdiction. Lakewood's city handout lists a 36 inch frost depth, a 30 psf non-reducible ground snow load, a 30 psf minimum roof snow or live load, wind Exposure C and Climate Zone 5. Footings and floors must respect that frost depth, and roof framing must carry the snow, including drifting against taller portions of a multi-story building.

Commerce City adopted the 2021 International Building Code with 49 local amendments, and the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver tracker shows no plan to adopt the 2024 I-codes until the 2027 cycle. Other cities are already on the 2024 edition. For each parcel we identify the edition, the amendments and any overlay districts that regulate facade, screening or setbacks, since storage buildings often face tighter design standards than other industrial uses.

From Closing to First Rental

Self-storage developers carry interest during construction and lose revenue every month after completion, so the schedule is the product. We structure the job around early site release: demolition or clearing, grading, utilities and slab work begin while building components are being fabricated. Metal buildings arrive quickly once the slab is cured, and drive-up rows can often be framed in a matter of weeks.

We stage the project in phases when the developer wants early revenue. The first buildings along the street frontage can be finished, signed and opened while later rows are still under construction, provided fencing and access are separated. Winter sets the constraints: concrete placement and paving need cold weather protection, and the Denver area averages about 49 to 54 inches of snow a year. We plan weather float into the baseline schedule.

Services That Make the Site Work

A storage project calls on several services at once. Site concrete and ADA compliance covers accessible routes to the office and unit entries, while stabilized parking lots sections are designed for moving trucks that carry heavier loads than passenger cars.

For owners who combine storage with other uses, we also build flex and light industrial buildings and small warehouse shells in the same program. On parcels such as the 34.87-acre Federal Heights tract along Federal Boulevard, the last undeveloped part of the former Ruston Field airport, a split program of storage, flex and retail pads is a real possibility, and one general contractor can simplify the sequencing. Operators pairing storage with last-mile space can also look at our e-commerce fulfillment work.

Cost Drivers Worth Pricing Early

Land preparation carries the most uncertainty. Contaminated soil, unsuitable fill, shallow groundwater or a utility that has to be relocated can add cost that never appeared in the pro forma. We recommend an early geotechnical and environmental review before closing and a contingency line for remediation in brownfield-type locations.

After site work, the largest swings are steel prices, unit door packages, climate-control mechanical equipment and elevator costs for multi-story buildings. We provide rates per unit type so operators can compare drive-up, interior and multi-story economics on the same site, and update them as bids come in.

Check the Site Before You Close

Send us the parcel and your unit mix, and we will review soil, drainage and utilities with you before closing. Our estimators can price drive-up, multi-story and hybrid schemes side by side.

Common Questions

Is a former industrial or brownfield parcel a realistic site for self-storage?

It can be, because storage needs little occupied interior space and tolerates difficult land if the contamination is managed. The key is the environmental assessment and the remediation plan before closing. We help owners read the reports, price soil handling and decide whether capping, removal or a different building layout makes sense.

How fast can a drive-up storage complex be built?

Once the site is graded and the slab is cured, metal-framed drive-up rows go up quickly. Overall duration depends on entitlements, utilities and weather, so we give owners a phased plan with the first buildings ready to rent while later rows are under construction.

Do we need sprinklers in a multi-story climate-controlled building?

Usually yes, and the fire official will confirm the requirement based on the adopted code and building size. Water supply, a fire line and sometimes a booster pump affect the site budget, so we raise that question during pre-application meetings.

How do you protect new paving from moving trucks and snow plows?

We design the pavement section for truck loads rather than car loads, use proper subgrade preparation and set drainage so water leaves the aisles. Snow storage areas are shown on the plan so plowed snow does not melt across entries and refreeze.

What changes between Denver-area cities?

Codes, overlay districts and fire requirements. Commerce City uses the 2021 IBC with local amendments, Lakewood publishes its own loads and amendments, and other cities have moved to 2024 codes. We verify each one for the parcel.

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