Facility Spotlight: Bluebird Self Storage in Calgary, Alberta

As the largest city in the province of Alberta, Calgary has plenty of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings largest metro area within the three Prairie Provinces region, and the third-largest city in Canada, Calgary is home to approximately 1.3 million people—many of whom are affluent. As a matter of fact, according to the Calgary Economic Department, Calgary had the greatest number

 of millionaires per capita of any major Canadian city in 2015. Many corporations have a presence there as well; the Canada West Foundation reported that the Calgary Metropolitan Region was the second most popular location for head offices among Canada’s 800 largest corporations.

Calgary has plenty of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings to accommodate both its businesses and residents, but the city is “underserved” when it comes to self-storage, says Reade De Curtins, co-founder of Bluebird Self Storage, who has been overseeing the company’s site selection for new development for 23 years. To remedy that supply imbalance, Storewest Bluebird Partners, which operates facilities under the Bluebird Self Storage brand, has developed and owns 11 self-storage facilities across Calgary and has five additional facilities in various stages of development in the city. 

“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 “The competition is outdated.”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 buildings 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 bluebird 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 horizontal 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 throughout Canada and the southeastern United States, operating under the Sunbird Self Storage brand name in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

In addition to several square storefront windows and two traditional loading bay doors on grade, Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. features two bays for its Great White car wash. The high-end, automatic car wash, which Bluebird Self Storage owns with its business partners, is fully enclosed or “all wrapped within the building,” says De Curtins, who also mentions that the two-bay “express tunnel” design can wash more than 100 vehicles per hour. “There’s such strong demand for this service that it has a membership program.” Family plans and unlimited monthly plans generate repeat business (and ancillary income) while rewarding customers for frequenting the high-tech car wash on a regular basis. A dog wash is another convenience offered at this location.

As for the interior of the facility, it’s both bright and clean to put customers at ease about storing their belongings outside of their homes. Two of the exterior’s eye-catching design elements are also incorporated into the spacious office; faux wood paneling accents the corner behind a modern desk and LED display, while a wooden louvered awning is suspended from the industrial ceiling like a lovely indoor pergola. Wood and polished concrete were used to fashion an intriguing yet functional floor within the “nest.” The office is outfitted with a free coffee bar, contemporary sitting area, and retail displays stocked with a plethora of storage-related merchandise and home organizational supplies.

Hand carts and dollies are available within the two-bay, indoor, heated loading area to help customers move their belongings from their vehicles to their units in comfort. The facility also features two of the industry’s most unique elevators; like oversized photographs, the doors of the extra-large elevator are covered with high-quality images of a person climbing the Canadian Rocky Mountains and a field lined with bluebird boxes. Bluebird’s logo is strategically placed amidst the images for brand reinforcement.

Other extras at Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. include individual keypad access, package receiving service, protection plans, 24-hour video camera recording, and two board rooms with screens (one that seats up to 20 and one that seats six).

With all these amazing amenities crammed into one eye-catching and convenient location, it’s no surprise that tenants are flocking to Bluebird Self Storage – Mahogany St. for their storage needs. The company’s commitment to providing “top-notch storage solutions” will surely help the facility reach stabilization in no time!

Originally written by Erica Shatzer for Canadian Self Storage Association