A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

First Time Owner Leverages Design-Build Expertise

Spiro Buas has spent decades developing projects of varying sizes: hotels, condominiums, commercial, and retail. In 2023, he turned to a fresh challenge: self-storage.

What started as an exploratory step into a new sector for Buas became a 469-unit, 80,000 square-foot storage facility on Route 50 – the major corridor that funnels hundreds of thousands of visitors into Ocean City, Maryland.

Choosing Experience

A feasibility study showed that the market would support more storage units, and the Route 50 property was ideally suited for visibility and access. While Buas had worked with dozens of contractors and subcontractors in the mid-Atlantic, he ultimately selected Storage Construction to oversee the project.

The developer and his team were initially attracted to Storage Construction’s specialized focus in self-storage. “Their approach and depth of experience in that segment really augmented our team’s broader capabilities,” Buas said. “The Storage Construction partnership was a force multiplier that added significant value during the entire development process.”

The developer was also drawn to Storage Construction’s “painless” design/build package, which offered key advantages: transparent pricing, experienced subcontractors, and a thorough roadmap to guide the entire process.

Flexibility, Communication, Solutions

As the project gained momentum, Storage Construction was able to iron out pre-construction challenges; for example, incorporating local design standards required along the busy Route 50 roadway.

Buas appreciated Storage Construction’s willingness to pivot based on new information and provide recommendations on suggested changes to the plan. During construction, he said, the builder’s coordination of subcontractors and continuous communication were key to maintaining transparency, hitting deadlines, and identifying problems.

In particular, the Buas team noted that Nate Jones, Storage Construction’s VP of Construction Services and Business Development, was always responsive and accessible whenever concerns arose. From an owner’s perspective, that level of responsiveness and willingness to stand behind the project enabled Buas’s team to navigate the challenges that accompany any large-scale development.

“What stood out to me was Storage Construction’s commitment to remaining engaged even after completion,” Buas said. “They truly took ownership of the project.”

To date, the Cube Smart-branded facility has outpaced performance expectations, and Buas is considering storage projects in the near future.

“Storage Construction would be my preferred partner on future storage projects,” Buas said.

For more information about Storage Construction’s range of projects, visit our Projects page.