elf-storage adaptive reuse has gained significant popularity as an effective way for developers to add new inventory. This approach rose alongside the sector’s rapid growth, as self-storage expanded beyond its traditional use encapsulated by the four Ds. Homes have been trending smaller, and storage units have gradually become an extension of the home, supporting items that no longer fit into living spaces.

While demand has continued to rise, limited land availability and restrictive zoning laws are among the key hurdles preventing ground-up construction from keeping pace. As a result, developers have increasingly turned to adaptive reuse as a viable alternative, particularly in markets where vacant industrial buildings, retail stores, and other property types offer a clear path to adding new storage space through conversions.

See Top Building Types Converted into Self-Storage chart.

The trend accelerated over the past decade, with more than half of the existing conversion inventory coming online between 2015 and 2024, totaling about 179 million square feet of self-storage space, according to a recent study from StorageCafe, a nationwide self-storage search website. The report analyzed under-construction pipelines across 1,184 U.S. cities, ranking them by the volume of conversion projects underway while also factoring in key indicators such as self-storage square feet per capita, street rates in converted versus purpose-built facilities, the share of conversion projects located in opportunity zones, the types of properties being repurposed, and the environmental impact measured by tons of demolition debris avoided when adaptive reuse replaces teardown.

See How Self-Storage Conversion Deliveries Have Evolved by Decade chart.

The results show a clear regional split. The Sun Belt dominates the list, accounting for most of the top 20 cities with self-storage conversions under construction. Irving, Texas; Los Angeles, Calif.; and Fairfield, Ala., currently lead in terms of conversion volume in the pipeline. The East Coast and the Midwest also stand out, driven by a combination of low per capita inventory, the availability of vacant industrial buildings, and local market dynamics.

See Under-Construction Conversions and Key Metrics Across U.S. Cities and U.S. Markets with the Most Self-Storage Conversion Space tables.

The Sun Belt is the most active region for upcoming self-storage construction, with cities in this area occupying the top positions among markets with conversion inventory under construction. Irving, Texas, ranks first nationally, with close to 233,000 square feet currently being delivered—more than 80 percent of the city’s total under-construction inventory. This influx is set to expand an existing 6.8 square feet per capita, already close to the roughly 7 square feet per capita associated with a balanced market.

Population growth continues to support demand, with Irving’s population rising nearly 7 percent over the past five years. In this environment, conversions offer a faster and more flexible way to add supply. Nearly all the city’s conversion pipeline comes from retail properties, which account for about 95 percent of projects, largely driven by local store closures that created adaptive reuse opportunities.

Los Angeles, Calif., is another leading market for conversion projects under construction. With only 2.1 square feet of self-storage per capita, the city remains severely undersupplied, making the addition of 226,000 square feet of storage space a meaningful boost. This volume represents almost 60 percent of all storage space currently under construction in Los Angeles.

Overall, the city has delivered approximately 1.4 million square feet of self-storage through conversions, most of which originated from office buildings, followed by industrial properties. The prevalence of adaptive reuse has also helped create a more renter-friendly environment, with average street rates in LA at converted facilities reaching $221 per month—about 7 percent lower than rates at purpose-built properties.

Fairfield, Ala., is another strong performer, with more than 200,000 square feet of conversion space expected to come online, accounting for the city’s entire under-construction inventory. Fairfield currently offers just 2.2 square feet of self-storage per capita, making conversions an efficient solution for expanding its limited supply. The city already has close to 114,000 square feet of conversion inventory, all sourced from former retail properties following closures such as Walgreens, Francesca’s, and others.

The East Coast is also well represented among the top-performing regions for under-construction self-storage conversions. Cities in this region are generally undersupplied, with inventory per capita falling below the national benchmark of about 7 square feet. Many also share an industrial legacy that has left behind a sizable stock of older buildings well suited for adaptive reuse.

Conversions offer a practical solution for adding inventory in these markets, where land constraints and zoning regulations often complicate ground-up development. Cranston, R.I., stands out as the only East Coast city with more than 200,000 square feet of self-storage under construction through adaptive reuse—a figure that also represents its entire development pipeline. This new supply will help offset a limited existing inventory of just 1.2 square feet per capita. Converted facilities in Cranston also offer lower costs, with average monthly rents of $119, roughly 26 percent below those of ground-up properties.

Newport News, Va., is set to add close to 165,000 square feet of storage space, accounting for more than two-thirds of the city’s under-construction inventory. With more than 6 square feet per capita, Newport News has the highest inventory relative to population among high-performing East Coast cities. Demand remains supported by nearby military installations, which continue to drive development activity.

In New York state, Albany and Buffalo are also contending with inventories below 4 square feet per capita, sustaining ongoing development. Albany is adding nearly 129,000 square feet of storage through conversions, while Buffalo is close behind with approximately 119,000 square feet. In both cities, industrial properties dominate conversion projects. All of Albany’s existing adaptive reuse inventory is located within opportunity zones, underscoring a focus on urban revitalization, while about 60 percent of Buffalo’s conversions are similarly situated.

Among top-performing Midwestern cities, all current under-construction projects are conversions. Kentwood, Mich., a suburb of Grand Rapids, is adding 110,200 square feet of self-storage through adaptive reuse. It is one of only two cities in the top 20, where conversions represent the first wave of storage development, alongside Batavia, Ill. In Batavia, under-construction conversions total just over 99,000 square feet.

See Where Is New Converted Self-Storage Space Concentrated map.

In both markets, existing inventories hover around 2 square feet per capita, making these additions particularly impactful. In Ohio, Cleveland is expected to deliver more than 95,000 square feet of converted storage space, followed by Toledo with roughly 85,000 square feet under development. Industrial buildings account for most conversions in both cities, while overall supply remains limited. Cleveland currently offers 2.3 square feet per capita, and Toledo provides 4.4 square feet per resident—both below levels typically associated with a balanced market.

Oak Park and Westland, neighboring suburbs in the Detroit metro area, are also seeing notable conversion activity. Oak Park has more than 81,000 square feet of self-storage under construction, all originating from office buildings. Westland is adding close to 70,000 square feet of converted space, sourced entirely from former retail properties following multiple closures, including the Westland Center Mall.

Adaptive reuse has established itself as a viable way to add new inventory, especially in markets where demand is high and traditional development faces numerous hurdles. Across the Sun Belt, East Coast, and Midwest, conversions are helping cities respond to sustained demand by unlocking underutilized retail, office, and industrial buildings and bringing new inventory online more efficiently, remaining a pivotal inventory growth pathway in the sector.