Consumers today demand quicker shipping than ever before. According to the Retail Industry Leaders Association , more than 90 percent of consumers see 2-to 3-day delivery as the baseline, and 30 percent expect same-day delivery. To get products into the hands of consumers as quickly as possible, many retailers are locating distribution centers strategically within the markets they serve.

To meet a growing demand by national firms for modern distribution facilities to serve the national capital region, developer Manekin Development, Turnbridge Equities and real estate firm NAI Michael are delivering up to 3.5 million square feet of new Class A Industrial buildings at the National Capital Business Park (NCBP)  in Prince George’s County. The park's location, just outside of Washington D.C. with easy access to I-95 and I-495, will provide centralized proximity to the third largest consumer market in the United States.

The development is home to a variety of buildings from 168,000 square feet to one million square feet with modern functionality to accommodate warehouse, distribution, cold storage and manufacturing uses. Plumbing distributor Ferguson Enterprises has already pre-leased a 358,000 square foot building within NCBP. Speculative building deliveries will begin in 2024.

“We have designed very generous sites to allow for ample truck, trailer and car parking, flexible dock packages, 36- to 40-foot ceiling heights, and extra power along with conduit in preparation for EV truck fleets and passenger vehicles,” said John Graham, managing director at Manekin.

As the project leaders focus on the needs of the prospective tenants, they are not ignoring the needs of the local community . In fact, giving back to the community has been an integral part of the project. Within NCBP, Manekin is building a new 20-acre community recreation park, extending a hike and bike trail by nearly a mile, installing over 15 mWatts of rooftop community solar panels projects on the roofs of the buildings, and preserving approximately 200 acres of natural area. In addition to these quality of life enhancements, the NCBP will be an economic driver for the region, adding as many as 5,000 new jobs in Maryland.

“Manekin and Turnbridge deserve tremendous credit for engaging the community early on to listen to their concerns and hopes for this exceptional project,” said Jeff Ludwig, senior vice president for NAI Michael. “It was this community collaboration that inspired the preservation of open space, recreation areas, and the commitment to develop green energy. NCBP is a classic example of how communities and developers can work together to design and build sustainable business communities.”

In addition to NCBP, there are many exciting and much-anticipated development projects happening across Maryland. St. John Properties recently announced the acquisition of an 82-acre parcel in Waldorf  with plans to develop a mixed-used business community, supporting upwards of 2,100 jobs in Charles County. And all eyes are on Baltimore’s Harbor Place, as redevelopment plans  for the iconic Baltimore space were recently revealed.