Merritt Properties Receives Two Awards of Excellence from NAIOP Chapters in Maryland and Florida

Merritt Properties has been awarded two Awards of Excellence from the Maryland and Northeast Florida chapters of the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, the leading organization for developers in the commercial real estate development industry. Merritt’s Columbia Corporate Park was recognized as “Best Office Park” by NAIOP’s Maryland Chapter, and Imeson Landing Business Park was awarded the “2023 New Construction Project of the Year” by NAIOP’s Northeast Florida Chapter.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by NAIOP in both our founding and most-recent development markets,” said Merritt CEO Scott Dorsey.  “We have been creating homes for businesses in Maryland since 1967, so when we expanded to Florida, it was important to our company that we instill the new office with our corporate culture of building high-quality projects where our customers can thrive and grow. “

Awarded with the 2024 Award of Excellence for Best Office Park during the NAIOP-MD Awards of Excellence ceremony, Columbia Corporate Park was recognized for Merritt’s efforts to amenitize office parks to help tenants attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive recruitment landscape. Surrounded by one million square feet of business support service, retail facilities and restaurants, the five-building park located in Columbia, Maryland, offers flexible Class A office space paired with a roster of in-demand park amenities. These include a fitness center, a shared conference room, an outdoor courtyard, pickleball courts, and The Core, an on-site community lounge strategically designed to deliver a better workday with a micromarket, collaborative seating, private chat rooms and more. Employees within Columbia Corporate Park also have access to Merge by Merritt, a complimentary program with a custom app, on-site events and access to live and on-demand wellness classes.

Merritt Properties was also awarded the NAIOP Northeast Florida Chapter’s 2023 New Construction Project of the Year Award for the first phase of development at Imeson Landing Business Park, the Baltimore-based company’s first light industrial development in Florida since expanding to Jacksonville in 2021. Consisting of over 137,000 SF, Phase 1 of the park’s development was praised for its diverse offerings, including 30-40' architectural bay widths, 18-20’ clear heights, shared truck courts up to 150’, and a variety of leasable spaces with the ability to accommodate both small and large businesses. Imeson Landing Business Park was also recognized for Merritt Properties’ commitment to environmental aesthetics and the use of sustainable landscaping practices throughout the park.

Construction started in March 2022 and was completed at the end of 2023. Located at the corner of Zoo Parkway and Imeson Park Boulevard in Jacksonville, the first three buildings have been fully leased. Merritt opened two additional light industrial buildings within the park in March. Future construction will consist of three light industrial buildings and once complete, the park will total 380,000 square feet across eight buildings.

The NAIOP Awards of Excellence honor innovative leaders in their respective regions who’ve made significant contributions to the commercial real estate industry through development.

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