New owner plans to immediately begin development of mixed-use project featuring 600,000 square feet of Class “A” commercial office, light industrial and retail space, 180 townhomes and a full-service hotel
Building I, which is occupied by Nexion Health
Warfield Companies has announced the acquisition of a 91-acre mixed-use development located in the Town of Sykesville in Carroll County that, upon final completion, is configured to support nearly 600,000 square feet of Class “A” commercial office, light industrial and retail space, approximately 180 residential units, a full-service hotel, and a 27 acre town park under its Planned Employment Center (PEC) zoning. It is being rebranded to “Warfield at Historic Sykesville.”
The Town of Sykesville and Carroll County worked closely with us to re-energize this project and to provide compelling real estate offerings to benefit businesses, retailers and local residents, as well as visitors to the area,” stated Roger Conley of the Warfield Companies. “Working with Steve McCleaf of Langley Realty Partners and a highly-skilled and professional team, we are in discussions with prospective buyers and tenants to create attractive uses at this strategically-located site. After initially placing this project under contract in 2014, we believe the final result will be a development that will significantly improve the Sykesville region and draw positive attention and economic vitality.”
The property is located on MD Route 32 in the Sykesville town limits and, in addition to substantial acreage for new construction, contains twelve separate buildings on a 17-acre parcel constructed in the early twentieth century and utilized by Springfield Hospital Center until the early 2000s. The buildings carry historical designations from the National Park Service and Maryland Historical Trust and comprise about 185,000 square feet of the total 600,000 square feet of non-residential density permitted by the zoning ordinance.
Three of the historic buildings are restored and occupied by Nexion Health, Zeteo Tech and The Carroll County Dance Center. The remaining nine buildings will be rehabilitated and repurposed in a variety of ways as future users, owners and tenants are identified. The buildings or portions thereof will be offered for lease or purchase depending on the needs of individual users. Construction and restoration activities will underway in a few weeks on the first speculative office building. “These are beautiful brick buildings designed by the leading architects of their time. We are working to bring the gorgeous old buildings of this campus back into productive use,” added Conley.
Groundbreaking for the first phase of new construction, a 145-unit townhouse project, is expected in occur this month, with the first delivery of new product scheduled for early 2019. Elm Street Development of McLean, Virginia has acquired and is developing this phase of the project working with a national homebuilder to construct the townhomes. For the next phase of new construction, the development team is in discussions with multiple hotel and retail users.
Dennis Boyle, of Lee & Associates Maryland, will oversee leasing and marketing activities for the commercial, retail and hospitality components. “The development team is optimistic about the timing of this project and its position in the market,” explained Boyle. “There is a pent-up demand for commercial space in Carroll County due to limited delivery of new space in recent years, particularly within the medical, healthcare and research sectors.
“We also believe that there is some untapped demand from companies with ties to Ft. Meade that will likely take an interest in Warfield now that the project is officially open for business. In general, companies and retailers are turning their attention to secondary markets to establish new locations. Compared to more established markets, areas such as Sykesville offer companies a better real estate value for their money, room to grow, and a better parking situation and their employees more affordable housing options with an easier commute,” Boyle added.
Warfield at Historic Sykesville is located approximately four miles north of Interstate 70 with a daily average of almost 25,000 cars passing the location. Many commuters and professionals in the area work at or near Ft. Meade, the state’s largest employer, which is located about 30 miles away on MD Route 32. The site is ten miles from Interstate 795, fifteen miles from Westminster, twenty miles from Columbia and thirty miles from Baltimore. Nearly 15,000 consumers reside within a five-mile radius of the site, with an average household income exceeding $117,000.
