Warehouses for personal storage are moving from industrial zones into residential areas, a shift that may push rents higher according to industry observers quoted by Kommersant.
Anton Belykh, the CEO of DNA Realty, explains that a shortage of warehouse space in traditional industrial districts is driven by the rapid expansion of warehouses and e commerce distribution centers. Meanwhile, self storage operators are actively establishing new facilities in residential neighborhoods by building modern complexes with tall, open commercial spaces.
Mikhail Burmistrov, the CEO of Infoline Analytics, notes that the space optimization trend now extends to storage of temporarily unused items and documents, which still requires secure and accessible space. This reflects a broader effort to reclaim underused office areas and reallocate resources to storage solutions when needed.
Konstantin Fomichenko, a partner at NF Group, points out that in 2022 the average rent for personal storage facilities, excluding moves to homes, rose by about 23 percent to 2.1 thousand rubles per month for one square meter. The cost for storage in street containers climbed by around 13 percent to 1.1 thousand rubles per month for a similar area, signaling a notable shift in pricing across the market.
Forecasts released in the latter half of January by Kommersant, citing NF Group data, indicated that the rate of new warehouse real estate commissioning could fall in 2023 by roughly 18 percent. This projection aligns with softer demand for logistics parks in Moscow and the surrounding region, suggesting a market recalibration as operators reassess demand patterns and space utilization needs.”