Bridge Self-Storage and Art Spaces Opens BridgeMakerARTS Center in Richmond, CA

Bridge Self-Storage and Art Spaces is partnering with nonprofit BridgeMakerARTS to offer a new art center in Richmond, Calif. An opening reception will be held at the storage property at 23 Maine Ave. on Saturday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will feature the exhibition “Salt,” which includes four artists who used salt as a subject matter or medium.

Bridge Self-Storage is owned by father-and-son team Jim and Jeff Wright, who transformed 25 of their storage units into studios for art, fabrication and music four years ago. Ranging from 100 to 2,000 square feet, the studios offer amenities including electricity, French doors, sinks, skylights and wood flooring. Artists can also rent the site’s moving truck and have access to a kitchen, laundromat, lounge and restrooms. The property includes outdoor fabrication space and a gallery where artists and musicians can display their talent or host events.

The Wrights collected donations last fall to help launch the new art center, which will host exhibitions and art talks as well as aid in local art enrichment, according to the source. Open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., BridgeMakerARTS has attracted international and local artists.

“We’re located in this remote area that’s kind of in between the bustling Richmond and Point Richmond; it’s a cool place,” according to Barbosa Prince, an artist and head of curatorial for BridgeMakerARTS. “One thing is we’re bringing a bit of revitalization to the area. We’ve been reaching out to the community, trying to get people interested in what we’re doing.”

Bridge Self-Storage also offers climate-controlled storage and shaded vehicle parking. The facility was highlighted in 2014 as part of a seminar titled “Self-Storage to Workspace: Creating a Mixed-Use Facility for Higher Revenue,” presented by Jeff Wright and general manager Daryl Henline at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo, an annual conference and tradeshow for self-storage industry professionals. Copies of the presentation are available in on-demand and DVD format through the Inside Self-Storage Store.