The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has signed a 90,473-square-foot lease at 6304 Sheriff Road, a 540,000-square-foot industrial building in Landover, Md.
Built in 1963, the property is owned by Nuveen Real Estate, which acquired it in 2013 for $32.5 million on behalf of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America fund, better known as TIAA, according to public records.
WMATA plans to utilize the space for the storage and repair of its fleet of transportation equipment and elevators when it moves in later this year.
WMATA is a government agency with oversight of the mass transit system that operates throughout the greater Washington, D.C., region, including Maryland and Virginia. The system consists of the D.C. Circulator bus system, Metrorail rapid transit service, Metrobus fixed-route bus service and the MetroAccess paratransit service.
The property is located on a 22-acre site near Interstate 495 and Maryland Routes 50, 704 and 295.
Edge represented the tenant in the lease.
“6304 Sheriff Road satisfied each important criteria in WMATA’s real estate search,” Rob Pugh, a partner with Edge, said in a prepared statement. “This includes the building’s open floor plate, high ceilings and rear loading capabilities which are necessary for the movement of large pieces of equipment.”
Edge’s Kenneth Fellows and Keiry Martinez joined Pugh in representing the tenant in the deal. The landlord’s rep was not disclosed.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com
Hope Grows Child Development Center will replace a Gold’s Gym at Fox Chapel Shopping Center in Germantown, Md.
The day care center has inked a 10,803-square-foot lease at the a 115,000-square-foot retail plaza at 19721 North Frederick Road. The previous tenant vacated the space last April.
“This represents immediate backfill in a less-than-certain retail leasing environment and daily pickup and drop-offs by parents means the center and all its tenants naturally become more top of mind for locals,” Craig Kates, director of tenant advisory services for Edge, which represented the tenant, told Commercial Observer.
Other tenants at Fox Chapel include Great Wall Supermarket, Yuraku Japanese Restaurant, Verizon Wireless, Dunkin’ Donuts and Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
More than 33,000 vehicles pass the site each day, and more than 55,000 people live or work within a three-mile radius, according to recent data from CoStar.
The Germantown site marks the educational facility’s third day care in Montgomery County, joining locations at 9845 Lost Knife Road in Montgomery Village and 20111 Century Boulevard in Germantown.
“The success of our first two child care and educational centers have provided us tremendous confidence to open another facility serving the needs of Montgomery County-area parents and families,” Salema Horn, the owner of Hope Grows, said in a prepared statement.
The company plans to expand in Montgomery, particularly in the Olney and Silver Spring areas, according to the statement.
Kates represented the tenant in the lease, while Susan Bourgeois of The Rappaport Companies represented the landlord.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
Envision Now, a company that provides construction management, facilities maintenance and operation services, is expanding to Rockville, Md.
The Fredericksburg, Va.-based company has inked a 3,600-square-foot lease at 12712 Rock Creek Mill Road, a 59,800-square-foot office building in the North Bethesda submarket of Montgomery County.
Edge represented the building’s owner, Crystal Development RCM, which acquired the 38-year-old building last year for $13.4 million.
“The tenant was attracted by the location and the availability to move in ASAP,” Kenneth Fellows, a partner with Edge, told Commercial Observer. “Its strategic location close to Interstate 270 and two Metro stops, and nearby amenities, were all significant factors that contributed to this leasing success.”
The property is also near Route 586 and Route 355, and more than 160,000 people reside within three miles of the site with an average household income exceeding $94,000, according to Edge.
With the lease, the two-story building is now fully occupied.
“12712 Rock Creek Mill Road features a highly flexible interior layout that makes it suitable for a diverse range of businesses, ranging from professional services to light manufacturing and logistics,” Fellows said.
Joining Fellows in representing the owner in the lease was Edge’s Robert Pugh, while Marek Rich and Nick Pugh of Scheer Partners represented the tenant.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
Culture of Jiu-Jitsu Academy, a Brazilian martial arts studio, is opening its first location in Montgomery County.
The academy inked a 6,000-square-foot lease at 220 Girard Street, a two-story, 55,000-square-foot industrial building in Gaithersburg, Md.
Finmarc Management owns the two-story building, having acquired it in 2014 as part of a nine-building portfolio in a $33 million deal.
220 Girard Street was delivered in 1988 and is half of the two-building Girard Business Center. The building features 13-foot ceilings and is less than one mile from Maryland Route 355, two miles from Interstate 270, and three miles from Maryland Route 200.
Edge represented both sides in the deal.
“It was really the appropriate size and cost. Also, the existing conditions of being entirely open, conditioned and having a single showroom-style entry with upgraded flooring already in place creates a natural reception/waiting area in combination with merchandise display,” Craig Kates, director of tenant advisory services with Edge, told Commercial Observer. “There were minimal barriers to getting the business up and running without the significant lag and cost associated with a permitted construction scenario.”
Culture of Jiu-Jitsu Academy was co-founded by partners Eric Philcox, a Maryland businessman, and Max Gimenis, a Brazilian native and jiujitsu champion.
Brazilian jiujitsu is one of the fastest-growing combat sports in the world according to Elite Sports. Similar to judo and karate, the sport is also considered a gentle art that is best suited for those people seeking self-defense training and a tremendous workout, according to Philcox.
“If you are a young golfer, it’s inconceivable to be individually trained by Tiger Woods,” he said. “You can’t just walk into a gym and learn how to play basketball from LeBron James. But with jiujitsu not yet being a mainstream sport, you can still learn from the top 1 percent with Max Gimenis, which is an amazing thing. There’s an accessibility you won’t find anywhere else.”
Kenneth Fellows and Robert Pugh of Edge, represented the landlord in the lease, while Kates represented the tenant along with Emily Heppen of Finmarc.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
Partner Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center, a women-owned veterinary practice, is expanding to Frederick, Md.
The company, which has a clinic in Richmond, Va., has inked a 20,000-square-foot lease at 7330 Guilford Drive, which will serve as both a clinic and offices for the company.
The property is part of the 300,000-square-foot Frederick Crossing, a power center owned by a joint venture between DLC Management and Acadia Realty Trust.
The JV acquired the center in 2019 as part of a $77 million portfolio purchase. Partner Veterinary’s space was formerly occupied by A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, which closed all of its Maryland locations in 2020.
Edge represented the tenant in the lease, which noted the search process lasted almost two years.
“Frederick has experienced rapid growth over the past few years,” Kristin Rebeck, vice president of advisory services for Edge, told Commercial Observer. “Its popularity as a Washington, D.C., suburb has increased, and it has a booming biotech industry as the northeastern cap end of the 270 life-sciences corridor. This has attracted a talented labor force and new residents that demand high-end retail and services.”
Additionally, the center has the only Best Buy in Frederick County. Other notable tenants include Kohl’s, Regency Furniture and Ross Dress for Less.
More than 70,000 people reside within three miles of the center, including more than 28,000 households with an average income exceeding $93,000, according to Edge.
The clinic will offer emergency medical services to pets when it opens next spring. Additionally, its specialty care division will offer internal medicine, neurology, medical oncology, cardiology, surgery, and MRI and CT services. Approximately 70 people will work in the new office.
“We believe the Frederick market is currently underserved in the veterinary care profession and believe our passion for our teams, pets and their families, combined with our abilities to make a positive difference, will resonate in the community,” Christine Stafford, president of Partner Veterinary, said in a prepared statement. “We intend to build strong and long-lasting partnerships with primary care veterinarians in the community.”
The landlords were represented by Adam Greenberg of DLC Management.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
Multi-disciplinary property consultancy EDGE has appointed a director to its Leeds office who has become the company’s 100th employee.
Simon Spencer will support the continued growth of the business, following a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in turnover from 2021 to 2022 announced earlier this year, while providing project management expertise to EDGE’s ongoing education, infrastructure and commercial offering within Leeds and the wider northern regions.
Spencer brings a wealth of project management experience in the construction industry, through both the public and private sectors.
He has extensive experience within the education sector specifically for the development of schools, further education colleges and higher education campuses across the north of England. Within the private sector, he has project managed large-scale infrastructure, commercial and mixed-use schemes.
Simon Spencer said: “I am really excited to commence my next chapter of my career with EDGE. The company has a great and unique culture, focused on investing in its people. The opportunity to join one of the country’s leading construction and property consulting organisations was a key factor for joining EDGE, with its director-led approach providing an outstanding service for our clients.”
Dale Rodgers, director at EDGE, added: “Simon’s appointment as our 100th employee is a huge milestone for the business. It is symptomatic of our growth, but above all, this demonstrates the effectiveness of our unique service offering.
“We strive to establish and nurture long-term relationships with our clients built on a culture of trust and transparency, underpinned with a service delivery that is second to none. We offer our expertise in cost management, project management, and building and digital surveying, maintaining a repeat commission metric of 86 per cent.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Simon to help build upon our initial success to develop and sustain the growth of our Leeds office.”
EDGE operates out of offices in Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Birmingham, and London.
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Winmar Construction, a Washington, D.C.-based general contracting firm, has inked a 7,000-square-foot lease in Reston, Va.
The company moved its corporate headquarters to 2100 Reston Parkway, a seven-story, approximately 170,000-square-foot office building owned by Moore & Associates. Winmar will maintain its office 20 miles away at 1010 Wisconsin Avenue in the District, as well.
Edge represented the tenant in the deal. The lease terms were not revealed.
“Winmar Construction made this corporate move to fuel its growing and expanding business strategy targeting construction contracts based across the entire Washington, D.C., region,” Scott Mendelson, partner and chief development officer for Edge, told Commercial Observer. “The building’s strategic location off major highways was the initial draw, and their interest grew stronger when the company realized the existence of the nearby amenities.”
The property was originally developed in 1988. Moore & Associates acquired the property in 2019 for $33 million, and initiated an improvement strategy that included upgrades to the main lobby, fitness center, conference facility and tenant lounge. It also added a new exterior tenant lounge.
The building offers access to Washington, D.C., and prominent Northern Virginia cities. It is near the Reston Town Center and the soon-to-open Silver Line Reston Town Center Metro station.
“2100 Reston Parkway provided every element and amenity important to Winmar Construction in its real estate search, and they are planning a best-in-class tenant build-out to showcase its capabilities,” Mendelson said. “The company’s close proximity to a major airport will simplify travel for its employees and clients in South Florida, and the walkable amenities will help attract and retain talent.”
Daniel Purrington of Moore & Associates represented the landlord in the lease.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.