GLENDALE, CALIF. AND NEW YORK CITY — Self-storage REIT Public Storage (NYSE: PSA) has agreed to acquire Simply Self Storage from New York City-based Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust Inc. (BREIT) for $2.2 billion. The deal is scheduled to close during the third quarter. Simply Self Storage is an owner-operator that was founded in Orlando in 2003. The company owns 127 facilities and operates 25 more on a third-party basis for a total of more than 11 million net rentable square feet across 18 states. Roughly 65 percent of Simply Self Storage’s portfolio, which has a collective occupancy rate of 91 percent, is concentrated in Sun Belt markets. “This acquisition reflects the continued execution of our multi-factor external growth platform, which includes acquisitions, development, redevelopment, expansion and third-party management,” says Joe Russell, CEO of Public Storage. “We are pleased to complete this transaction with Blackstone, which has done a tremendous job of growing and improving the quality and operations of the Simply portfolio over the past few years.” “Where you invest matters, and this transaction demonstrates the strong investor demand for the high-quality assets and platforms we have assembled within BREIT,” adds Nadeem Meghji, head of Blackstone Real Estate Americas. …
