FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Art Storage

When it comes to preserving your collection, you want a facility that offers convenient, secure, state-of-the-art spaces guaranteed to safeguard any material, medium, or structure type. UOVO shares those goals: our purpose-built facilities support customizable solutions that stand up to the distinctive needs of any collection, while our team of industry experts ensure clients receive first-rate care.

When searching for the right space, we encourage clients to have a dialogue with our experts about their storage needs. Some of the most frequently asked question we get concerning our facility include:

How can I determine what kind of storage I’ll need?

At UOVO, we offer two storage options: concierge and private rooms. The space you’ll need will depend on a few factors: your budget, the size of your collection, and how you plan to utilize the space.

Our cost-effective concierge storage is ideal for clients whose inventory fluctuates frequently, or who have a temporary storage need. These collections are managed solely by UOVO’s experienced art technicians, who are available to assist clients with transportation, packing, or inventory control.

Our private rooms are best suited for clients who need frequent and direct access to their inventory. Fully customizable from 50 to 50,000 square feet, UOVO’s in-house designers can modify everything in the unit to store your collection properly, such as adding museum-quality lighting, bespoke racking, or specialized work areas. Clients can choose to either maintain complete control of their inventory or use UOVO’s barcode system for digital inventory management.

For more information about our storage options, check out our website.

Do you have climate-controlled storage?

All of our locations offer temperature-controlled and climate-controlled storage. Our temperature-controlled rooms are ideal for items like outdoor sculptures. Our climate-controlled storage rooms are maintained at 70 degrees, with a 50 percent humidity level, aligning with museum standards. Climate control assists in the preservation of materials that are affected by fluctuations in humidity, including paper, wood, and textiles. For example, fashion clients looking to store designer clothes or haute couture collection benefit from climate-controlled storage. It is also advisable to store paintings and fine furniture in this environment.

Who else has access to my storage unit?

At UOVO, security is a top priority. With UOVO’s concierge storage service, only a dedicated team of expert art handlers have access. Clients rely on our team’s skills and integrity to manage every aspect of their collection in concierge, including shipping, receiving, packing, and crating.

In private rooms, clients have an authorized access list recorded on their account. Photo IDs are required to check-in to our facilities, and only confirmed clients or those with written permission to access a unit will be granted a passcard and admitted beyond the lobby. Our state-of-the-art security assures no one has access to a floor or unit that isn’t theirs. Your passcard is programmed specifically to the access points to your room; only individuals with the passcard can enter your unit. The passcard automatically deactivates, so if it’s lost or stolen it would no longer work.

What kind of on-site security do you provide throughout your three New York locations?

All of our facilities are monitored using a state-of-the-art, custom security system. Features include video surveillance and motion detectors that run 24-hours a day. All visitors’ images are recorded in our central database as part of our check-in process, and all our employees undergo an extensive background check. Our private rooms are equipped with special Salto locks and touch-base alarms that record every time the door to your storage unit is opened and the passcard used to open it. In addition, each unit has an individual door alarm.

How will I be billed?

Payment depends on the type of storage space. Private rooms are billed by square foot, meaning you will pay the same monthly rent no matter how many items are stored. In concierge storage, billing is based on cubic foot of items actually in storage. This ensures clients are only billed for space they are actively using at any given time. If clients do not have inventory in storage, they will not incur any fees until they choose to store with us again. There is no charge to keep a client storage account open.

Look out for our next blog post, Everything You Need to Know About Art Storage Pt. 2: Common Misconceptions.