News

Maryland accelerated into the #12 position in CNBC’s annual “America’s best states for business” list, climbing 19 places from its former #31 ranking in 2019. CNBC did not release its list last year due to the pandemic. The rankings are based on 85 metrics in 10 different categories, including cost…

Consumer trends and retailer strategies are spurring growth in the retail sector, according to retail outlook research published by JLL in June. Net absorption of retail space in Q1 of 2021 was 5.5 million square feet, marking the second quarter since 2019 of positive net absorption. Retailers announced more store…

Shelter-in-place guidelines mandated by federal and state government during COVID-19 accelerated changes in consumer shopping habits that were already in motion pre-pandemic. As the country continues its emergence from mass shutdowns, retailers and developers are being forced to adjust to new shopping patterns, delivery methods and the physical presence and…

As state legislatures and local governments across the country seek options to lower greenhouse gas emissions, the prospect of moving more commercial buildings off fossil fuels and onto electric-powered systems has become a topic of intense debate. On the one hand, more than 30 local governments in California and others…

The future of the fledgling tech company seemed threatened the morning the co-founders arrived at work to discover the lights were off and the locks had been changed. MD Energy Advisors had sublet a small space within an occupied office – just big enough to accommodate a few desks –…

The Clearview Group’s headquarters in Owings Mills and Merritt Properties’ Core community lounge in Columbia embrace growing trends in office design – colorful, comfortable, inviting interiors, communal space, outdoor space and ample amenities. Photos courtesy of JMT Architecture and Merritt Properties. As Maryland approached the July 1 expiration of…

By Allan Riorda, SIOR, President/Principal, Lee & Associates | Maryland Operating within a worldwide pandemic makes everything harder, but when was the last time you tried your hand at leasing a 100% vacant, 1-million-square-foot warehouse located in the middle of a cornfield in Carroll County? That was the challenge and…

The grand opening of Chesapeake Contracting Group’s (CCG) new offices in late June revealed freshly renovated, light-filled space that mingles bold colors with natural elements and high-tech systems with a casual work vibe. But for at least one CCG employee, the biggest selling point for the company’s new Owings Mills…

As the pandemic subsides, grocery stores are facing a shifting and more competitive marketplace. Fundamental changes in consumer behavior have started to unfold as concerns about COVID-19 have eased. Consumers are generally more apt to patronize grocery stores offering better quality food items and production selection, which reverses the “speed…

While Anne Arundel County’s General Development Plan (GDP) sets overall policy guidance, it is the nine region plans that assess Zoning Map designations and recommend changes to land use and other GDP amendments.  The county is taking applications until July 18th from those interested in serving on the regional plan…