2 local firms win Wood Works Wood Design Awards

Two local firms have won design kudos in the Wood Works Wood Design Awards.

Ayers Saint Gross Inc. recently won the commercial wood design category for the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center in Charlottesville, Va.

The design uses wood as the primary building material to complement the brick architecture of Jefferson’s historic and grand house, Monticello, and it reflects the surrounding natural beauty of the property.

The King Hall Galley Renovation in Annapolis won the interior beauty of wood category.

The awards are given in eight categories and entries were submitted from design and architectural firms in 20 states.

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How’s this for personal service?

Charm City Concierge has just inked a deal to serve the seven General Growth Properties properties in the Columbia Corporate Center that are leased and managed by Cushman & Wakefield.

The CCC will add to its team of 40 for this effort that will help GGP secure, retain and expand relationships with tenants, a release send this week said.

“Our goal is to be of service to the people that are most important to GGP,” said Tina Urquhart, president of Charm City Concierge. “We do this by getting to know their tenants personally and providing memorable service experiences that improve their lives and enhances their work environment.”

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NAI KLNB recently sold a 44,800-square-foot warehouse and distribution building located at 225 Talbot Road in Chestertown for $1.47 million.

Jim Caronna, Principal for NAI KNLB represented both the buyer, KRM Development and the seller, 225 Talbot Road LLC.

The site was formerly occupied by the Wisco Envelope Co. as a mid-sized manufacturing plant. Under the new owners, the building will be used by the Dixon Specialty Products Division of Wisco to manufacture industrial hose couplings and accessories.

“We were in need of a well-maintained building with an expansive and flexible floor plate that would be suitable for creating a manufacturing plant,” said Ron Athey, president of KRM Development, the real estate division for the Dixon Valve Co. “It was also important for the facility to be large enough to incorporate a warehouse element. In addition to the strategic location of 225 Talbot Road, this building satisfied each of our requirements,” he added.

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The University of Maryland Faculty Physicians has signed a lease for 8,182 square feet at 5500 Knoll North Drive in Columbia for a new University of Maryland Orthopedics outpatient center.

The facility will join Columbia Medical Practice, US Physical Therapy, 1st Choice Chiropractic, Audiology First, Earl Wilkinson MD, LabCorp, Chesapeake Oncology, St. Agnes Hospital Cardiology and Johns Hopkins Cardiology at the Columbia Medical Campus near the intersection of Routes 175 and 29.

The University of Maryland was represented by CBRE broker David Fields, while Montecito Medical hired brokers Kim Penny and Laura Westervelt, also with CBRE, for the transaction.

“University of Maryland is a recognized leader in the healthcare industry, and its Orthopedics Program is ranked as one of the nation’s 50 best by U.S. News & World Report. We could not be more pleased to welcome the physicians to their new location in Columbia Medical Center,” said David McNeil, MMAC Senior Vice President, Asset Management.

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TIDBITS: A temporary pedestrian bridge is now open on Fort Avenue where the $6 million bridge replacement work has been gridlocking the Locust Point peninsula near the new McHenry Row development for months now. The new bridge is expected to be completed in early summer … Merritt Properties has leased 8,763 square feet to the healthcare management firm Strategic Health Solutions LLC at 8830 Stanford Boulevard in Columbia. Jamie Campbell, Liz Tarran-Jones, Vince Bagli and Steve Shaw negotiated the deal for Merritt … School construction updates: Bidding is open for the $10 million renovation and addition to Stoneleigh Elementary School in Baltimore County. Meanwhile, the $58 million project to build a modern, new Carver Center for the Arts and Technology in Towson is nearing completion. A nostalgic walk-through the old school is being planned for alumni before that building is razed this summer to make way for new playing fields … New owners of what used to be Sanders’ Corner on the scenic, rural Cromwell Bridge Road are preparing to reopen the restaurant as McFaul’s IronHorse Tavern at Sanders’ Corner. Target date to begin serving brunch, lunch and dinner (and a variety of beers) is early May … Besides the butterflies and dandelions now showing early spring glory, many Rita’s stores are now open for business again.