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)

                      DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
                           FOR DIRECTORS OF
                       SOVRAN SELF STORAGE, INC.
                       (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  20,000 shares   $21.688          $433,760       $115
$.01 par
value
(includes
associated
Rights) (3)

     (1)  The number of shares being registered is subject to
adjustment in accordance with the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
Accordingly, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminable
number of shares which may be issuable in connection with such
provisions.


<PAGE>
     (2)  Pursuant to Rule 457(h), estimated solely for the purpose of
determining the registration fee, as follows:  (i) as to 3,807 shares
for which the purchase price has been determined, on the basis of the
aggregate purchase price of those shares, and (ii) as to the remaining
16,193 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.
















































<PAGE>
<PAGE>
                             Part I


      INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

Information specified in Part I of Form S-8 (Items 1 & 2) will be
sent or given to Plan participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1)
under the Securities Act of 1993, as amended.

                             PART II

       INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents filed by the registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), pursuant
to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement:

          (a)  The registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
          the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

          (b) The registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
          the quarter ended March 31, 2000.

          (c) All documents filed by the Registrant with the
          Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
          15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of
          this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of
          a post-effective amendment to this Registration
          Statement which indicates that all securities offered
          have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
          remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
          reference in this Registration Statement and to be a
          part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such
          documents.

          (d)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock
          contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on
          Form 8-A dated June 16, 1995, including all amendments
          and reports updating such description.

          (e)  The description of the Registrant's Preferred
          Stock Purchase Rights contained in the Registrant's
          Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 26,
          1996, including all amendments and reports updating
          such description.

Item 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable





<PAGE>
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.

Item 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     The registrant's officers and directors are and will be
indemnified under the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company against certain liabilities.  The Articles of
Incorporation require the registrant to indemnify its directors
and officers, among others, against claims and liabilities and
reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with
any claim or liability by reason of their services in those or
other capacities unless it is established that the act or
omission of the director or officer was material to the matter
giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or
was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty or the
director or officer actually received an improper personal
benefit or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director
or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or
omission was unlawful.


      The registrant has entered into indemnification agreements
with each of its senior executive officers and directors.  The
indemnification agreements require, among other matters, that the
registrant indemnify such officers and directors to the fullest
extent permitted by law and advance to such officers and
directors all related expenses, subject to reimbursement if it is
subsequently determined that indemnification is not permitted.
Under these agreements, the registrant must also indemnify and
advance all expenses incurred by officers and directors seeking
to enforce their rights under the indemnification agreements and
may cover officers and directors under the registrant's
directors' and officers' liability insurance.  Although the
indemnification agreements offer substantially the same scope of
coverage afforded by law, they provide additional assurance to
directors and officers that indemnification will be available
because, as contracts, they cannot be modified unilaterally in
the future by the Board of Directors or the stockholders to
eliminate the rights they provide.

     As permitted by Maryland law, the Articles of Incorporation
provide that a director or officer of the registrant shall not be
liable for monetary damages to the registrant or its shareholders
for any act or omission in the performance of his duties, except
to the extent that (1) the person actually received an improper
benefit or (2) the person's action or failure to act was the
result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to
the cause of action adjudicated.




<PAGE>

Item 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable

Item 8.   EXHIBITS

     See Exhibit Index

Item 9    UNDERTAKINGS

(a)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement;

          (i) To include any prospectus required by section
          10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
          arising after the effective date of the registration
          statement(or the most recent post-effective amendment
          thereof) which, individually or in aggregate, represent
          a fundamental change in the information set forth in
          the registration statement;

          (iii)  To include any material information with respect
          to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
          the registration statement or any material change to
          such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in  a post-
effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated
by reference in the registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability
     under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
     amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
     relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
     of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-
     effective amendment any of the securities being registered
     which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for
     purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
     Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report
     pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of
     an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
     15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is



<PAGE>

     incorporated by reference in the registration statement
     shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
     to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
     securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
     bona fide offering thereof.

(h)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
     officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant
     to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
     has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
     Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore,
     unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
     against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
     registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
     officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
     successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
     asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
     connection with the securities being registered, the
     registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
     matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to
     a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
     such indemnification by it is against public policy as
     expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
     adjudication of such issue.


                           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














<PAGE>
<PAGE>
                        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








<PAGE>
                        INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit                                             Page Number
_______                                             ___________

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).






































<PAGE>
<PAGE>
                      EXHIBITS 5 AND 23(b)


             OPINION OF PHILLIPS, LYTLE, HITCHCOCK,
              BLAINE & HUBER LLP AS TO THE LEGALITY
                  OF THE SECURITIES REGISTERED





















































<PAGE>






                                             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 20,000 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, resolutions of its
Directors and such other documents and corporate records and
proceedings relating to the organization of the Company, proposed
issuance of securities and the adoption of the Deferred
Compensation Plan for Directors of Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (the
"Plan") 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 20,000 shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and,
when issued in accordance with the terms of the Registration
Statement and the Plan, 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














<PAGE>
<PAGE>
                          EXHIBIT 23(a)


                  CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                 INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS






















































<PAGE>



                 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement (Form S-8, No. 333-00000) pertaining to the Deferred
Compensation Plan for Directors 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






































<PAGE>
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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)

                      DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
                           FOR DIRECTORS OF
                       SOVRAN SELF STORAGE, INC.
                       (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  20,000 shares   $21.688          $433,760       $115
$.01 par
value
(includes
associated
Rights) (3)

     (1)  The number of shares being registered is subject to
adjustment in accordance with the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
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 3,807 shares
for which the purchase price has been determined, on the basis of the
aggregate purchase price of those shares, and (ii) as to the remaining
16,193 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 I

      INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

Information specified in Part I of Form S-8 (Items 1 & 2) will be
sent or given to Plan participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1)
under the Securities Act of 1993, as amended.

                             PART II

       INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents filed by the registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), pursuant
to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement:

          (a)  The registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
          the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

          (b) The registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
          the quarter ended March 31, 2000.

          (c) All documents filed by the Registrant with the
          Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
          15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of
          this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of
          a post-effective amendment to this Registration
          Statement which indicates that all securities offered
          have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
          remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
          reference in this Registration Statement and to be a
          part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such
          documents.

          (d)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock
          contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on
          Form 8-A dated June 16, 1995, including all amendments
          and reports updating such description.

          (e)  The description of the Registrant's Preferred
          Stock Purchase Rights contained in the Registrant's
          Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 26,
          1996, including all amendments and reports updating
          such description.

Item 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable
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.

Item 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     The registrant's officers and directors are and will be
indemnified under the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company against certain liabilities.  The Articles of
Incorporation require the registrant to indemnify its directors
and officers, among others, against claims and liabilities and
reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with
any claim or liability by reason of their services in those or
other capacities unless it is established that the act or
omission of the director or officer was material to the matter
giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or
was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty or the
director or officer actually received an improper personal
benefit or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director
or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or
omission was unlawful.

      The registrant has entered into indemnification agreements
with each of its senior executive officers and directors.  The
indemnification agreements require, among other matters, that the
registrant indemnify such officers and directors to the fullest
extent permitted by law and advance to such officers and
directors all related expenses, subject to reimbursement if it is
subsequently determined that indemnification is not permitted.
Under these agreements, the registrant must also indemnify and
advance all expenses incurred by officers and directors seeking
to enforce their rights under the indemnification agreements and
may cover officers and directors under the registrant's
directors' and officers' liability insurance.  Although the
indemnification agreements offer substantially the same scope of
coverage afforded by law, they provide additional assurance to
directors and officers that indemnification will be available
because, as contracts, they cannot be modified unilaterally in
the future by the Board of Directors or the stockholders to
eliminate the rights they provide.

     As permitted by Maryland law, the Articles of Incorporation
provide that a director or officer of the registrant shall not be
liable for monetary damages to the registrant or its shareholders
for any act or omission in the performance of his duties, except
to the extent that (1) the person actually received an improper
benefit or (2) the person's action or failure to act was the
result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to
the cause of action adjudicated.
Item 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable

Item 8.   EXHIBITS

     See Exhibit Index

Item 9    UNDERTAKINGS

(a)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement;

          (i) To include any prospectus required by section
          10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
          arising after the effective date of the registration
          statement(or the most recent post-effective amendment
          thereof) which, individually or in aggregate, represent
          a fundamental change in the information set forth in
          the registration statement;

          (iii)  To include any material information with respect
          to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
          the registration statement or any material change to
          such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in  a post-
effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated
by reference in the registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability
     under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
     amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
     relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
     of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-
     effective amendment any of the securities being registered
     which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for
     purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
     Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report
     pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of
     an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
     15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement
     shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
     to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
     securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
     bona fide offering thereof.

(h)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
     officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant
     to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
     has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
     Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore,
     unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
     against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
     registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
     officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
     successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
     asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
     connection with the securities being registered, the
     registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
     matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to
     a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
     such indemnification by it is against public policy as
     expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
     adjudication of such issue.

                           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                                             Page Number
_______                                             ___________

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 20,000 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, resolutions of its
Directors and such other documents and corporate records and
proceedings relating to the organization of the Company, proposed
issuance of securities and the adoption of the Deferred
Compensation Plan for Directors of Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (the
"Plan") 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 20,000 shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and,
when issued in accordance with the terms of the Registration
Statement and the Plan, 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 PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement (Form S-8, No. 333-00000) pertaining to the Deferred
Compensation Plan for Directors 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