<ARTICLE>                     5
<CIK>                         0000944314                      
<NAME>                        Sovran Self Storage, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>               1
<CASH>                                         1,275
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  231
<ALLOWANCES>                                   0
<INVENTORY>                                    0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               2,954
<PP&E>                                         178,206
<DEPRECIATION>                                 2,348
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 178,812
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          29,729
<BONDS>                                        0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       75
<OTHER-SE>                                     149,008
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   178,812
<SALES>                                        0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               6,944
<CGS>                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  2,027
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               1,390
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             375
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                3,152
<INCOME-TAX>                                   0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            3,152
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   3,152
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.42
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.42