The demand for storage units continues to climb in the New River Valley and Varsity Storage announced plans for a new facility located on a four-acre site at 300 Cambria Street directly across from other storage units, currently owned by the same company.
Tuesday night, Christiansburg town council approved the project in a 6-0 vote.
The property, which is designated residential on the town’s future land use plan, was rezoned from B-1 Limited Business to MU-1 Mixed Use. A Conditional Use Permit also had to be approved in order for mini-warehouses to be located there.
The town’s planning commission recommended approval earlier this month. Plans call for three self-storage buildings and a state-of-the-art office.
Virginia Varsity Storage purchased the Cambria Pointe Self Storage in 2015 and significant improvements were made to that site, but owners admitted it lacked “climate-controlled storage” and had a small, outdated office space.
According to the company, the proposed Cambria expansion is an ideal compliment to the current property and will serve the area for generations to come.
The company anticipates beginning construction by Fall 2019 with a target completion date of spring 2020.
Varsity Storage president, John Lugar, said Phase I will include approximately 185 units with 400-450 new (plus existing). long-term, fully-built out: units.
“We will continue managing current property and, once the new office and Phase I of the new project are completed, the management and rental office will move across the street,” Lugar said.
There are 345 units at the current location. As part of the new project, Varsity Storage will make a 300-square feet community room available free of charge for local groups.
In the fall of 1987, Lugar and a friend founded Virginia Varsity Transfer, which is now based out of Salem with several locations throughout southwest Virginia.
In other matters, council approved the closure of Bristol Street to accommodate Motor Mile Automotive that recently bought a hotel on a nearby property. The road, itself is located between two Motor Mile dealerships, and does not affect any other public roadway. Plans call for a Toyota dealership to expand onto the site.
Also, former town manager Barry Helms was reappointed to the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority Board representing the town.
A carnival planned for later this year was also given approval for a site at NRV Mall.
A contract for wayfinding signs throughout the town was awarded to Acorn Sign Graphics at a price tag of $434,335. The signage plan has been in the works for two years and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. The sign types will include gateway signs, 41 vehicular directional signs and nine pedestrian markers for the Huckleberry Trail.
A proposed lettering on the Reva Knowles Bridge carrying the Huckleberry Trail at the NRV Mall has been put on hold, but the project will revamp signage at several gateways into town. The underlying theme centers on the Huckleberry Trail and will feature leaves and branches associated with the berries that once dotted the area along the rail line.
