California-based group leases17,499 square feet of space with St. John Properties, Inc. and expects to quickly grow from 10 to 75 employees following April 1 move-in
Freedom Forever, a California-based company engaged in the installation of residential solar energy systems, has selected the Discovery District at the University of Maryland as the site of its entry into the greater Maryland and Washington, D.C. marketplace. The group signed a lease with St. John Properties, Inc. for 17,499 square feet of space at 5650 Rivertech Court in Prince George’s County, and expects to be operational with approximately 10 employees this spring and rapidly grow to 75. Jared Ross of CBRE represented Freedom Forever in this transaction, and St. John Properties represented themselves.
Freedom Forever will utilize the site to house its team of site surveyors, construction professionals and installation personnel which will complete rooftop solar energy panel installations and home energy conversions. A portion of the space with also be used for the storage and warehousing of solar panels and materials. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to further expand its national operations with a new office in Georgia, after also entering the North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida markets in 2020. This move to Maryland continues its corporate growth throughout the East Coast corridor.
“After an extensive real estate search, we believe the Discovery District offers us the most compelling combination of location, building design and access to employee talent that will fuel our growth in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. region,” explained Danny Rubin, Vice President of Field Operations for Freedom Forever. “Maryland is an extremely solar-friendly state full of customers who are eager to save on their utility bills. The building provides us with the open space we need to store and stage materials, as well as access to highways and the Metro DC area. A significant factor in our decision was the opportunity to be part of the Discovery District, which we believe to be extremely innovative, energetic and close to amenities.”
Freedom Forever provides its customers with a guarantee that pledges to provide a solar power package that consistently provides energy for a full 25 years. The system is monitored 24 hours a day by the company to assure operational integrity, with any issues promptly addressed by technician professionals.
“Freedom Forever represents an example of our ability to attract high-profile companies with strong growth potential to the Discovery District,” explained Sean Doordan, Senior Vice President of Leasing and Acquisitions for St. John Properties. “They have a proven model that has been successful throughout the country, and we are glad they’ve selected the Discovery District as their home base as they expand into the Maryland region.”
St. John Properties has developed nearly 160,000 square feet of LEED Gold space within the Discovery District at The University of Maryland, a 150-acre business community located less than one mile south of The University of Maryland campus near US Route 1. This includes 5650 Rivertech Court, a single-story 57,120 square foot flex/R&D building featuring 16-foot ceiling heights, dock and drive-in loading capabilities and a free surface parking lot.
Discovery District is less than one mile from the College Park Airport, four miles from MD Route 295 and seven miles from Interstate 95. Downtown Washington, D.C. is approximately ten miles from the site and the College Park Metro/MARC Station is within walking distance.
Existing tenants at the Discovery District include Earth Science Interdisciplinary Center; Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; NOAA, The University of Maryland/Pacific Northwest National Lab Joint Global Change Research Institute; the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Inspection Service and the UMD/FDA Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Also contained within the community is the College Park Academy, a public charter school; and The Art Walk, an outdoor public gathering area offering food trucks, art and creative seating areas. The adjacent Riverdale Park Station includes nearly 1,000 residential units and an assortment of retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Starbucks Coffee and numerous sit-down and fast-casual restaurant options.
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, St. John Properties, Inc. is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest privately held commercial real estate firms. The company is distinguished by their commitment to customer service, achievements in green building, and top-rated workplace culture. Throughout St. John Properties’ 50-year history, the company has developed more than 21 million square feet of flex/R&D, Office, Retail and Warehouse space serving more than 2,500 clients in Maryland, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin. For more information about the company, visit www.sjpi.com.
