ELLICOTT CITY, MD – From Somerset Construction Company: The inaugural wave of residents have initiated the move-in process within The Residences at Annapolis Junction, a five-story, 416-unit ultra-luxury apartment community that represents the residential component of Annapolis Junction Town Center, a mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Howard County, Maryland. Developed by Somerset Construction Company and Armada Hoffler Properties, and positioned adjacent to the Savage Maryland Rail Commuter Rail (MARC) Station, the multi-family community is comprised of 123 two-bedroom units, 248 one-bedroom units and 45 studio units. Other components of the TOD include a four-level MARC Station garage/intermodal facility that accommodates more than 700 vehicles; a four-story, 101,000 square foot Class “A” commercial office building; and nearly 20,000 square feet of retail space. A hotel will also be developed on the site. S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. has been selected to provide day-to- day management services for The Residences at Annapolis Junction.

“Annapolis Junction Town Center represents Howard County’s first transit-oriented development and residents have quickly embraced the concept of a lifestyle that makes vehicle ownership optional,” explained Neil Greenberg, Chief Operating Officer of Somerset Construction Company. “The initial leasing pace has exceeded our expectations and, now that construction on the first phase has been completed and residents can touch and experience our residential offerings, we anticipate the accelerated lease-up of the building. Few communities within the central Maryland region can match the range of amenities both inside The Residences and integrated within the mixed-use community, including rail service that provides connections to points throughout Baltimore and Washington, D.C.”

Living space sizes range from 520 square feet for the studio units and expand to 1,629 square feet for the two-bedroom loft models. Standard design features incorporated into all 416 units include nine foot ceiling heights; an open-design kitchen area with breakfast bars and granite countertops; 42” kitchen cabinets; an upgraded Frigidaire stainless steel appliance package with washers and dryers; designer lighting; extra-large closets with custom organizers, spa-inspired bathrooms with separate showers and extra-large tubs; seven and eight foot tall doors throughout the units; ceiling fans with lights; plus wood plank flooring in the kitchen and living room and porcelain tile in the bathrooms. Balconies, lofts and dens are optional.

Achieving “Green Living” is a differentiating feature of The Residences at Annapolis Junction. The building envelope and internal package was designed to earn LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council, with features including super energy-efficient heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) and central hot water systems, combined with low-flow plumbing fixtures and Energy Star appliances designed to significantly reduce monthly water, gas and electric bills. In addition, air filtration systems and the use of low volatile organic compounds (VOC) paints and carpeting create healthier indoor environments.

The Residences at Annapolis Junction offers an exclusive “utility guarantee” that allows residents to exactly determine the maximum monthly expense of their electricity bill for the first year. This includes $70 for studios and junior one-bedroom units; $95 for one-bedroom units; $125 for two-bedroom units up to 1200 square feet of space and $145 for two-bedroom units exceeding 1200 square feet of space. These amounts are less than half of market rate.

“Our research shows that monthly utility costs often play a significant factor in the decision of apartment renters when comparing locations, so we devised this program to provide peace of mind that will allow consumers to budget accurately,” Greenberg explained. “This program guarantees the maximum cost of utilities, with residents receiving refunds should any amounts exceed these amounts. This is in the best interests of local consumers and we encourage other apartment developers and owners to follow our lead.”

The Residences at Annapolis also offers a 30-day guarantee that enables all new residents to vacate the apartment community, without responsibility for lease break fees, if “they are not happy with their apartment home for any reason” during the first month of occupancy.

A comprehensive range of community amenities are now available at The Residences at Annapolis Junction. The amenity package includes a 3,174 square foot, two-story community room with a 1,732 square foot state-of- the-art fitness center and locker rooms equipped with cardio televisions and strength training and yoga equipment; a twenty-nine seat multi-media center with 120” viewing screen; an adjacent kitchen and bar; a 450 square foot billiards room; a 815 square foot business center with conference area; a fireplace; a pet spa with pet wash room and dog run. Connected to this center is a resort-style, saltwater swimming pool with sunning decks, cabanas, outdoor living areas and multiple grills, fountains and gazebos. Additional components include a bike repair room and storage area, a bocce court, a package wrapping room and package delivery service and concierge services.

Annapolis Junction Town Center is positioned in the southeastern section of Howard County, approximately midway between the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas. It features frontage on MD Route 32, one of the primary east-west highway connectors in the State of Maryland, and is adjacent to the Savage MARC station, which is served by the rail system’s Camden Line. The MARC system operates between Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Camden Yard area, where it connects to Baltimore’s light rail system, and Union Station in Washington, D.C., where it offers connections to the Washington Metro subway network and Amtrak. Annapolis Junction Town Center is situated approximately four minutes from Fort George G. Meade and the NSA. Ten minutes from Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

The 19-acre development, which contains more than 2000 parking spaces throughout three separate structures, has been designated a Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) Zone by the State of Maryland. More than 18,000 white collar workers are employed within a two-mile radius and 65,000 employees work at Fort Meade/NSA which is approximately three miles away.

St. John Properties is partnering with Somerset Construction Company to develop the commercial office and retail space within Annapolis Junction Town Center.

“Annapolis Junction Town Center represents the third mixed-use community in which we have partnered with St. John Properties, and our companies complement each other with similar philosophies and approaches to development,” added Neil Greenberg. “Our organizations are long-term holders of real estate and are committed to creating ‘best-in- class’ projects in specific sub-markets. Annapolis Junction Town Center includes every component that addresses the changing way businesses and consumers interact with real estate in the modern world.”

Somerset Construction Company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, is a multi-disciplined real estate development firm. Visit www.somersetconstruction.com.

Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE:AHH) is a full-service real estate company with extensive experience developing, building, acquiring and managing high-quality, institutional-grade office, retail and multifamily properties in attractive markets located primarily the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Company is a vertically-integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) publicly-traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Visit www.armadahoffler.com.

St. John Properties, Inc., founded in 1971, owns and has developed more than 18 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail and warehouse space in Maryland, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Utah and Wisconsin. Visit www.sjpi.com

S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. is a leader in real estate investment, development, commercial sales, leasing and management. Throughout their tenure as a leader in the industry, S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. has established an outstanding record with clients nationwide. Because of their reputation for excellence and quality management, S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. has been able to expand from its Norfolk home base to dealings throughout the state of Virginia, and into Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. Their portfolio of managed communities currently includes over 22,000 units in over 145 communities. Visit
www.slnusbaum.com.

Image via Somerset Construction Company