Once completed by summer, 2006, the property, located at 1925 Telegraph Rd., will be a 500-unit National Mini Storage of Redford, situated on 3.2 acres. The project, scheduled to begin in January 2006, is estimated at an all-in cost of $4 million.

Activities on the property will include: the gutting and restoration of the already-existing building; construction of a 20,000-sf two-story storage facility; and a 13,000-sf facility to serve as drive-up contractor's units.

According to Maurice Pagoda, president of Pagoda Cos., the Redford location was ideal for the company's expansion, as it is located in a densely populated neighborhood. "Redford is an inner-ring suburb, one of the first developed outside Detroit," he tells GlobeSt.com. "It's a stable community with smaller homes, and perfect for us."

Pagoda says that his company, which has operations in Michigan and Ohio, is consistently seeking out new land and properties for expansion, but the needs are very specific. Not just any old land or property will do.

"We're not interested in growing in greenfield areas," he points out. "Self-storage is a market in which you need bodies there, now. Demand is based on population density." At this time, the Redford property is the site of Empire Door, a local manufacturing and distributor of doors, and Pagoda says the company will remain there until the end of the year. "They'll be vacating in January," he says. "Then we'll move in with the hammers."