Angela Tablac
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis Post-Dispatch (M0)
December 28, 2007
Section: Business While researching a place in Arizona to store his son's car during the summer, Mike Danishevsky discovered he could own, instead of rent, storage space. He chose a traditional arrangement - a rented unit near Tempe, Ariz., around his son's university. But the research left Danishevsky with a business idea he's introducing to St. Charles. Danishevksy and business partner Scott DeRuntz are building the 79-unit Elm Point Storage Condominiums, a three-phase, nearly $3 million project on Elm Point Industrial Drive near the New Town development. The first part - with 19 units at 720 square feet apiece, a vehicle wash bay and a recreational vehicle dump station - is set to be completed next month. Each of the two other phases consists of a single building and will be built as the previous phase is sold out. Most self-storage buildings offer rented spaces that are typically 10-by-20 feet, or 200 square feet, Danishevsky said. But the pair are selling larger, fully insulated spaces that can house boats and recreational vehicles or serve as storage spaces for small businesses. Single-wide units 16-by-30 feet start at $39,900; double- and triple-wide also are available. Tenants pay a monthly maintenance fee of $35, and unit options such as electrical garage door openers, heating and air conditioning, phone service and interior security systems cost extra. Storage condo projects have opened out West and in the Midwest, Danishevsky said, but he added that his is the first in the St. Louis area. That claim almost had some competition. Brian Koontz, principal of Ballwin-based Koontz Holdings LLC, planned to finish this year a 150-unit storage condo complex on Ecology Drive in St. Peters. During construction, though, sewer line problems delayed the project, and costs rose, Koontz said. He put plans for that location on hold, bought an existing building on Walsh Court near Elm Point Industrial Drive in St. Charles and re-tooled his idea into five units suited for office or storage space. His smallest unit now is 2,000 square feet, includes lighting and a restroom, and costs $240,000. Koontz's new venture, Milestone in St. Charles, is less than a mile away from Elm Point Storage Condominiums, but Danishevsky said he's not worried about competition. "It's a totally different concept (than ours)," he said. "It's an office-warehouse. There's a lot of those around." Like Koontz, Danishevsky and DeRuntz had to change locations. Delayed utility installation and road adjustments at the first spot on Mid Rivers Mall Drive and Highway 70 prompted the first move. A second site was abandoned because it was too far from the sewer system. The duo found their current location, on 2.4 acres, in July and started construction in October. St. Charles Engineering & Surveying Inc. designed the blueprints, and Missouri Builders Inc. in St. Charles built the first phase. DeRuntz said he and Danishevsky have marketed the units by displaying brochures at local RV and boat dealers, attending trade shows and sending mass mailings to local RV and boat owners. "The response we've got from the little advertising we've done" proves there's local demand for buying, instead of renting, a unit, DeRuntz said. In the city of St. Charles, residents can keep a boat or RV no longer than 32 feet only on the rear of their property, said Johnny Benisch, the city's code enforcement manager. He said some residents might be interested in buying a storage space. "There's probably a lot of demand for it," Benisch said. "It would make sense to me." With 15 of 19 units left to be sold, DeRuntz and Danishevsky said most potential buyers are waiting to see the finished building. "This is the Show Me state," Danishevsky said. "Most people won't buy sight unseen, especially because it's never been done (here) before." Danishevsky also said he's looking at other locations to expand the concept but has no formal plans yet. --- Elm Point Storage Condominiums What it is: Storage units available to buy, instead of rent Sizes: 16-by-30 feet, starting at $39,900; 16-by-45 feet, starting at $59,900; and 16-by-60 feet, starting at $79,900. Double-size units also are available. Owners: Mike Danishevsky and Scott DeRuntz Number of units sold: Four | 
