As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2000 Registration No. 333-___ ======================================================================= SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 _______________________ FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT Under The Securities Act of 1933 SOVRAN SELF STORAGE, INC. (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Maryland 16-1194043 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 5166 Main Street Williamsville, New York 14221 (Address of Principal Executive Office) (Zip Code) 1995 AWARD AND OPTION PLAN 1995 OUTSIDE DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN (Full title of the plan) Frederick G. Attea, Esq. Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP 3400 HSBC Center Buffalo, New York 14203 (Name and address of agent for service) 716-847-8400 (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE Title of Proposed Max. Proposed Max. securities Amount offering aggregate Amount of to be to be price per offering registration registered registered (1) share (2) price (2) fee __________ ______________ _____________ ____________ ____________ Common Stock 550,000 shares $21.7337 $11,953,528 $3,156 $.01 par value (includes associated Rights) (3) (1) Of the 550,000 shares being registered hereby, 500,000 shares are being registered in connection with the 1995 Award and Option Plan and 50,000 shares are being registered in connection with the 1995 Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan. The number of shares being registered is subject to adjustment in accordance with the anti-dilution provisions of the Plans. Accordingly, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminable number of shares which may be issuable in connection with such provisions. (2) Pursuant to Rule 457(h), estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee, as follows: (i) as to 263,525 shares for which the offering price has been determined, on the basis of the aggregate offering price of those shares, and (ii) as to the remaining 286,475 shares, on the basis of the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on July 21, 2000. (3) This Registration Statement also pertains to rights to purchase shares of Preferred Stock of the Registrant in certain circumstances pursuant to the Registrant's Shareholder Rights Agreement. PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, the contents of the Registration Statement filed on February 12, 1997 (File No. 333-21679) by Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (the "Registrant") with respect to shares of its Common Stock issuable under the Company's 1995 Award and Option Plan and 1995 Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Item 5. Interests of named experts and counsel Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP has rendered an opinion as to the legality of the shares of Common Stock offered pursuant to this Registration Statement. Robert J. Attea, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Registrant, is the brother of a partner of Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP. EXHIBITS 5 Opinion of Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP as to the legality of the securities registered. 23(a) Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors. 23(b) Consent of Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP (included in Exhibit 5). 24 Power of Attorney (included under the caption "SIGNATURES" in this Registration Statement). SIGNATURES THE REGISTRANT. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Buffalo, State of New York on July 25, 2000. SOVRAN SELF STORAGE, INC. By: /s/ Kenneth F. Myszka ____________________________ Kenneth F. Myszka President and Chief Operating Officer POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Kenneth F. Myszka and David L. Rogers, and each of them, his attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated. Signature Capacity Date _________ ________ ____ /s/ Robert J. Attea Chairman of the Board July 25, 2000 ______________________ of Directors and Chief Robert J. Attea Executive Officer /s/ Kenneth F. Myszka President, Chief July 25, 2000 ______________________ Operating Officer Kenneth F. Myszka and Director /s/ David L. Rogers Chief Financial Officer July 25, 2000 ______________________ (Principal Financial David L. Rogers Officer & Principal Accounting Officer) /s/ John Burns Director July 25, 2000 ______________________ John Burns /s/ Michael A. Elia Director July 25, 2000 ______________________ Michael A. Elia /s/ Charles E. Lannon Director July 25, 2000 ______________________ Charles E. Lannon INDEX TO EXHIBITS Exhibit _______ 5 - Opinion of Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP as to the legality of the securities registered. 23(a) - Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors 23(b) - Consent of Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP (included in Exhibit 5). 24 - Power of Attorney (included under the caption "SIGNATURES" in this Registration Statement). EXHIBITS 5 AND 23(b) OPINION OF PHILLIPS, LYTLE, HITCHCOCK, BLAINE & HUBER LLP AS TO THE LEGALITY OF THE SECURITIES REGISTERED July 25, 2000 Sovran Self Storage, Inc. 5166 Main Street Williamsville, New York 14221 Re: Sovran Self Storage, Inc.- Registration Statement on Form S-8 Gentlemen: With respect to the Form S-8 Registration Statement of Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (the "Company"), covering the registration of 550,000 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value ("Common Stock") of the Company, we have examined and are familiar with the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated By-laws, minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and Shareholders of the Company, the 1995 Award and Option Plan, as amended, and the 1995 Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Plans"), and other documents, corporate records and proceedings relating to the organization of the Company and proposed issuance of securities by the Company. We have also examined such other documents and proceedings that we have considered necessary for the purpose of this opinion. Based upon such examination, we are of the opinion that the 550,000 shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Registration Statement and the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement. Very truly yours, /s/ PHILLIPS, LYTLE, HITCHCOCK, BLAINE & HUBER LLP EXHIBIT 23(a) CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP INDEPENDENT AUDITORS CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8, No. 333-00000) pertaining to the 1995 Award and Option Plan and the 1995 Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan of Sovran Self Storage, Inc. of our report dated January 26, 2000, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedules of Sovran Self Storage, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1999, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. ERNST & YOUNG LLP Buffalo, New York July 24, 2000