After receiving a grading permit on July 31, The Conlan Company began construction of Emerson One, located at 9070 Sterling Drive in Emerson, MD. The project is being developed by Emory Properties, LLC. and Ryan Commercial, LLC, both of Towson, Maryland. Construction financing is provided by Susquehanna Bank.

Scheduled to deliver during the summer of 2010, Emerson One will be a four-story, 160,000-SF Class "A" office building. It is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification and incorporates many energy-efficient and environmentally-sustainable elements into its aesthetically classic design.

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CoStar, the Commercial Real Estate Information Company, recently posted an article discussing the challenges and rewards of using the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)'s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system among other guides to build "green" buildings.

Emerson One will pursue LEED Silver certification and will employ many green building strategies that both enhance energy performance and improve occupant comfort.

BALTIMORE (September 03, 2008)—Ryan Commercial LLC, a Baltimore-based full-service commercial real estate and development firm, announces a new joint venture with Emory Properties, a leading commercial developer in the mid-Atlantic region, to develop a 160,000 square-foot office building in Howard County. Located on Sterling Drive in Columbia, the four-story building will be located in the Emerson Corporate Commons at the intersection of MD Route 216 and Interstate 95.

The new building will accommodate as many as eight tenants with a parking ratio of 5:1. The new building will feature one of the largest floor plates in the Baltimore/Washington corridor at 40,000 square feet. The Emerson Corporate Commons is an ideal location for corporate and government tenants due to its proximity to Washington, National Security Administration, Fort George G. Meade, and Baltimore. Located approximately 15 miles from both the Washington and Baltimore Beltways, as well as equidistance from the Thurgood Marshall International Airport, Emerson provides easy access for employees and visitors The planned building will be constructed in the middle of a 10-acre site allowing it to meet the setback requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense with 100 feet clearance on all sides from roads and property boundaries.

“We see a real need for class-A office space in this strategic location with the expected influx of contractors and support services related to BRAC in the coming years,” said Matt Ryan, president of Ryan Commercial LLC. “Along with Emory Properties, we selected the Emerson Corporate Commons for this project because of its location and innovation.&rdquo

Emerson Corporate Commons is part of 570-acre master planned community including residential and commercial development. When complete, Emerson will feature more than 1.8 million square feet of office space as well as 1,200 residential units and 63 acres of open space. The planned office building being developed by Ryan Commercial and Emory Properties will apply for LEED Silver certification.