A part of the former Simon and Schuster building on Radcliffe Street in Bristol Borough could become a self-storage facility.
Matt McHugh, the attorney for River Group Equities, outlined the concept for the 2207 Radcliffe Street property for Bristol Borough Council last week.
The proposal focuses on a section of the 600,000-square-foot warehouse that is situated across from the Radcliffe Court townhomes. The former Simon & Schuster building sits on a 23-acre parcel in what was once a busy industrial area.
The project would include 56,000 square feet of indoor storage units, McHugh said.
The facility is planned to house 282 storage units primarily sized at 5-by-10, 10-by-10, 10-by-15, or 10-by-20 feet, with units approximately 8 feet in height. All storage units would be on the ground floor, leaving the upper level open for potential future use, according to the proposal presented to the borough.
The facility would also feature an office and retail component in an existing office space. The retail area would sell moving boxes, packing supplies, and locks, and offer package drop-off services for Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.
“It’s a nice amenity for residents,” McHugh said of the package service.
Council members had interest in the developer’s commitment to updating the visual appearance of the structure, which has been used for warehousing since Simon and Schuster moved out in 2018.
The building’s look and truck traffic have been points of concern for residents in recent years as more homes have popped up in the area.
“When you come down Green Lane and you’re turning on to Radcliffe, it’s an eyesore,” said Councilperson Lorraine Cullen. “I would be hoping that you would also take care of that as well.”
McHugh confirmed the plan includes facade improvements that would extend along the entire length of the building on Radcliffe Street. They would include parking improvements and flower beds, which would all be dependent on PennDOT approval.
“As part of this project, we’re going to be redoing the entire building from a facade perspective,” McHugh said. “We want to make it look sort of modern. The glass feel for the self storage portion is important just to provide that kind of visual opening.”
Cullen, who represents that area of town, said the outside of the building needs an upgrade due to the nearby homes.
Regarding traffic, McHugh cited data indicating self-storage facilities generate minimal vehicle activity. A traffic engineer is preparing a report using standard data showing approximately 100 new trips per day—50 vehicles entering and 50 exiting—throughout the day.
“They really are a low traffic generator,” McHugh explained. “You don’t have people coming in and visiting the facility every day. You’re looking at really people dropping their stuff off and then they come to pick it up when they’re ready.”
The storage facility would primarily accommodate passenger vehicles, SUVs, and occasional U-Haul trucks, with no tractor-trailers to be used for operations.
Cullen expressed support for the project’s potential to reduce current truck traffic.
“I think anything that improves this facade, applies a practical use for it like this and is not gonna have tractor trailers in and out all day long, I think that’s my opinion,” she said.
The property is currently zoned light industrial, and the self-storage use would require zoning ordinance amendments.
“The zoning doesn’t quite match up for the type of use,” McHugh said. “If you accept the use, we’d like to be able to work with your solicitor on crafting an amendment.”
McHugh said market research indicates significant demand for storage facilities in the area.
Council members were not voting on the proposal but providing early feedback as the developer looks at its plans.
“This is intended to be step one of a larger collaborative process,” McHugh said, adding the developer is ready to proceed with detailed planning if the borough shows interest.
