With the end of the semester and the beginning of hurricane season fast approaching, students are faced with the problem of what to do with their possessions. Students must leave the residence halls, which will close May 12 at 10 a.m., within 24 hours of their last exam.
There are several options for keeping possessions safe over the summer break. Many students rely on storage facilities close to campus. The widespread damage from Hurricane Katrina has added considerations for choosing a location. Numerous facilities suffered some form of damage, either from flooding or wind. Others sustained no damage, or none drastic enough to affect the items stored there.
Two storage locations close to campus suffered no damage during Hurricane Katrina. Extra Space Storage, at 1120 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway, is less than three miles from campus. During Hurricane Katrina, it lost one roof panel and experienced no damage to its storage areas. The facility is also raised three feet and has multiple levels. A 10-foot-by-10-foot space is $129 a month.
Also less than three miles from campus is Public Storage at 3440 S. Carrollton Ave. This location had no damage on the first or second floors during Katrina. It offers lockers to students who have few items, as well as a 5-by-5 space for $67 and 5-by-10 spaces for $82 a month. It requires insurance, which ranges from $8 to $20.
Public Storage at 1901 St. Charles Ave. is just over three miles away from campus and suffered only roof damage from Hurricane Katrina. The multi-level facility offers 5-by-5 spaces for $52 a month and 5-by-10 for $85 a month.
Four miles from campus is Howard and Baronne Storage Center, at 835 Saint Joseph St. The facility suffered roof and window damage in an area that didn’t contain storage units. Five-by-five spaces are $60 a month, 5-by-8 units are $79 a month and 5-by-10 spaces are $89 a month.
The three-story Dependable Storage, just over four miles from campus at 1101 Annunciation St., had modest roof damage. It offers 3-by-3-by-3 lockers for $50 a month, 5-by-5 units for $70 a month, and 5- by-10 for $109 a month.
Pigeonhole Mini-Storage is five-and-a-half miles from campus and located in the French Quarter. The seven-story building made of concrete and steel used to be a parking garage of the same name and was converted into a storage facility. The first floor took on one foot of water for several days, according to David Waller, general manager. The majority of the units are located on the upper levels, which had no damage. Units range in size from 5-by-6 to 5-by-7 to 5-by-9. The units are at most $74 a month and reduce in price according to size.
Mini’s Portable Storage, at 900 Atlantic Ave., is nine miles away from campus and located on the Westbank. The containers stored in the warehouse didn’t sustain damage during Katrina.
Tracie Logan, history junior, stored her possessions with Safeguard Self Storage last summer and plans to again this summer. This summer, she’ll store at the facility at 919 Erato St., four miles from campus. She said when choosing a facility, she looked at price per month, proximity to campus, adequate space in the unit and good hours. Logan said the facility was recently built and they weren’t informed of any damage during storms.
People with friends willing to help out can find storage as close as a friend’s house. Ted Makarewicz, mass communication junior, recently found off-campus housing and offered storage there for his friends. He is charging $20 to $40 a month, which he said is “amazing” compared to College Boxes, a storage service catered to students.
Makarewicz anticipates four to five friends storing items at his two-story home. He said he has a few friends who have stored with other friends in the past and that “it works out better that way.”
In the event of a hurricane, Makarewicz will move all the items to the second floor of the house. The first floor flooded during Katrina, while the second floor didn’t sustain damage.
Another problem for students is where to store their car in the event of a hurricane. According to the university’s Hurricane Emergency Plan, the parking garages will be open to permit holders only. “Valid permit holders not taking their car with them (when evacuating) are advised to park on floors two through five of the West Road Garage and floors two through three of the Freret Street Garage. Vehicles should not be parked on surface lots to avoid potential flood damage,” the plan states.
Tara Templeton can be reached at [email protected].
