Self Storage Units in Milwaukee: Facilities Near Downtown and the East Side

Self storage has expanded rapidly throughout the United States due to low startup costs and urban sprawl, and the Milwaukee area has seen more than its share of such businesses arrive in the last ten years. Yet most Milwaukee self storage units are located in the more distant suburbs, far from the happening life of east side and downtown residents. If you’re a student at Marquette or UWM, or a young professional on the east side of Milwaukee, chances are that you’d prefer not to hike halfway to Racine for decent self storage facilities. Here are a few of the companies with self storage units near downtown and the east side of Milwaukee.

1. East Bank Storage
www.eastbankstorage.com
2136 N. Prospect Avenue and 2025 N. MLK Drive

With an attractive location smack in the middle of the East Side on Prospect Avenue, East Bank Storage provides a everything from simple storage lockers (2×5) to expansive self storage units (15×15) that can fit a whole apartment’s worth of furnishings. East Bank Storage boasts indoor loading docks, complimentary handcarts, carpeting, and the availability of climate controlled units. For such an attractive and clean self-storage facility, the prices are also reasonable. A 5×5 unit, for example, rents for under $40 a month, and there are no hidden administrative fees or security deposits. They even offer automatic debit from checking accounts for easy payment of the self storage unit bill. In addition to the Prospect Avenue location, East Bank Storage maintains a site on Martin Luther King Drive, just north of downtown and also near East Side neighborhoods.

So what’s the drawback, you ask? First, you may need to use an elevator because this is multi-floor building. Second, the access hours aren’t the most convenient. Unlike the usual 24-7 self storage facilities, East Bank keeps basic business hours during the week and offers limited Saturday and Sunday hours. As long as you don’t mind those access restrictions, these are probably the best self storage units near downtown and the east side.

2. Green Bay Avenue Self Storage
www.gbaselfstorage.com
4565 N. Green Bay Avenue

Located near I-43 just minutes north of downtown Milwaukee and the east side, Green Bay Avenue Self Storage opened a fresh new facility. Touting a family-owned atmosphere, this business takes security very seriously – with individual door alarms, extensive camera systems, and a computerized gate. They’ll even provide you a free cylinder lock so you don’t have to bring one. GBA Self Storage offers units as small as 5×5 (a common industry standard) and units as large as 10×40. All in all, this competes nicely with East Bank Storage. It’s not as “nice” – but it’s safe, clean, and available for 24-hour access (even when their rental offices are closed). This self storage facility is especially convenient for those on the northern fringes of the East Side, as it’s just north of Capitol Drive. Lastly, be sure to visit their website for a rotating special coupon, as you may earn a discount.

3. Public Storage
www.publicstorage.com
535 S. 84th Street

Public Storage is a large national chain with several locations in the Milwaukee area. They have many advantages: easy bill payment online, cheap rates, rent specials, discounts for longer stays, and a wide array of self storage units sizes. There is a one-time $20 “administrative fee” (which may reduce some of the other savings), but there are no security deposits. They make the process as simple as possible and allow 24-7 access. Unfortunately, most of the Public Storage facilities in the city proper are fairly far from the east side and downtown. Perhaps the most convenient location is the one on 84th Street, right off of I-94 and adjacent to the National Ice Center. For the lower price and name recognition, you have to travel a little farther out from the lakefront, but Public Storage does have a few locations in the city of Milwaukee itself, eliminating an unpleasant foray into the burbs.

4. EZ Self Storage
www.ez-storage.net
1201 W. Canal Street

Just south of downtown, in between the Menomonee Valley and the Third Ward, you’ll find one of EZ Self Storage’s “mini-warehouses.” They do offer small units (5×5), but most of their storage space is larger – up to 20×20. EZ Storage also provides outdoor boat storage near a waterway to Lake Michigan. While this is an excellent location near just minutes from downtown, even sans highway, there are some drawbacks. The pricing is much higher than at other self storage facilities, and there are additional fees and security deposits involved. For personal storage (unless you have a boat!), you may want to stick with one of the three options listed above.