So what do you do with a gifted piece of land? Do research; then do more research, and finally, whittle down all your possibilities to one final conclusion.

That’s what three siblings did when their parents gave them nearly two acres of land along Rodeo Road.

Four years ago, Ursulo and Carlotta Ortiz, who run a blanket-weaving business in Chimayó, decided to give their three children a piece of land that they had purchased in 1982.

“We believed in giving them a little break in getting started,” Ursulo Ortiz said.

Each of the three Ortiz siblings was given a third of the land.

“We spent a year looking into all kinds of options,” said Lucille Baca, the couple’s only daughter. “We considered an office complex and apartments.”

“We also asked a real-estate appraiser his opinion, and he suggested storage units,” said Baca’s brother, Dennis Ortiz, who has a background in both construction and property management.

Reynaldo Ortiz, the third brother, lives in Denver and has worked for both Quest and IMB.

In 2004, after the siblings settled on the idea of building a storage facility, they attended a convention in Las Vegas, Nev., to learn more about the industry.

The next year was spent drawing up plans, getting them approved and obtaining permits. Construction started in 2006, and because the land is officially in the county, and not the city, the siblings only had to comply with county codes.

Rodeo Road Self Storage opened last June. The complex is 38,000 square feet in size, with two stories and four individual buildings. It has 257 units.

“We’re maxed out on the number of units we can put in, and everything else is completed — the landscaping, the driveway,” Dennis Ortiz said.

Ortiz added that 40 percent of the units are climate-controlled, with temperatures maintained at an even 72 degrees. The smallest units are 5 feet by 5 feet and rent for $60 a month. The largest units are 10 feet by 30 feet and rent for $225 a month.

The siblings said they chose a national company — National Storage — to manage the facility. National Storage also does business in Texas, Arizona, California, Utah and Nevada.

“We just felt it wise to get a company that knows how to handle storage management and all the logistics of that,” Dennis Ortiz said.

So far, 67 units have been rented, said manager Kevin McLaughlin. As with many new storage facilities, security cameras and key-pad entry also are available.

Local Rick Martinez said he rents a 5-by-10-foot unit. “It’s modern and clean, and I really like the roll-up doors,” Martinez said.

Brenda Medwa of Iowa said she moved her things to Santa Fe to attend Southwestern College.

“I was looking for a place to temporarily store my things, and someone told me about this new place,” she said. “I like that they’re so flexible. I can rent the unit by the week until I find a place to live.”

Rodeo Road Self Storage is behind Castro’s Restaurant, which is also on land that is still owned by the Ortiz family.

“We’re all learning about a new industry,” Lucille Baca said. “And, for myself, working with my brothers is enjoyable.”