Valvoline Instant Oil Change Opens New Store in Lusby
LUSBY—Valvoline Instant Oil Change has opened a location in Lusby, Calvert County. The service center located at 11755 Rousby Hall Road was built from the ground up. The brand new building is outfitted with cutting edge tools along with a team of certified technicians offering superior service.
Valvoline Instant Oil Change offers an array of preventative car maintenance services. Known for its fast oil change, they provide transmission services, tire rotations, battery replacements, serpentine belts, along with wiper blade and light bulb replacements, among other services.
Visit www.VIOC.com for store hours, directions, and coupons.
Henley Enterprises, Inc. opened the first franchised Valvoline Instant Oil Change service center in 1989. CEO and co-founder Don Smith developed the company specifically to operate Valvoline Instant Oil Change facilities under franchise agreements with Valvoline Instant Oil Change Franchising, Inc., a subsidiary of Kentucky-based Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH). As of September 2014, the Henley Companies operate over 200 VIOC franchise locations spread among the following states: California, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
St. Charles, Md Reports Sales of 67 New Homes for First Quarter 2015
76% Increase Over 2014 Reflects Growing Interest in Master Planned Community Benefits, New High School
ST. CHARLES—The St. Charles Companies reported 67 new home sales for the first quarter of 2015, a 76% increase over the same period in 2014 for the 9,200 acre, master planned community. In March, more than 525 prospective homebuyers visited model homes from builders Ryan Homes and Lennar, the highest traffic month recorded in four years.
“Home buyers continue to find great value in our new homes,” said St. Charles Companies President, Matthew Martin. “The opening of St. Charles High School this year, great amenities, access to recreational options and green spaces all combine to put St. Charles at the top of the list when homebuyers are seeking a great place to live.”
Overall occupancy at the company's portfolio of 2,500 apartments in the St. Charles planned community now stands at approximately 94%, reflecting the continued appeal of living in a master planned community to residents who prefer to rent or who are not ready to purchase. St. Charles recently completed and began leasing the 213-unit Links at Gleneagles apartments. The Links at Gleneagles raises the bar on apartment living in Southern Maryland with an onsite fitness center and clubroom, free membership to the Gleneagles Community Center with tennis courts, resort-style pool with beach entrance and clubhouse and condo grade finishes such as granite kitchen counters, crown molding and an upgraded appliance packages.
In 2014, St. Charles participated in the opening of the 1,600-student St. Charles High School, which offers unique educational opportunities to students and the community alike. Built on a 100-acre site donated by The St. Charles Companies, the new school includes programs on environmental and natural resource management, technology, and current issues related to these fields of study, as well as cutting edge learning experiences such as a digital classroom and “Science on a Sphere.” This feature, co-developed by NASA, provides students with visual instruction about science, the Earth and the environment.
2014 also saw the completion of the sale of 76 acres in the Piney Reach Industrial Park to Competitive Power Ventures, which has broken ground on a 725 MW natural gas generated power plant. The sale highlighted St. Charles' unique competitive position in the commercial real estate market, with some of the largest undeveloped industrial and commercial parcels in the Washington region.
Thompson Creek Window Company Breaks Ground On New Prince George’s County Location
New 117,000-square-foot facility will house manufacturing and warehousing operations
UPPER MARLBORO—On Monday, April 20, at 3:30 pm, groundbreaking ceremonies were held to mark the start of construction on a new 117,000-square-foot building at 8300 Pennsylvania Avenue in the Upper Marlboro section of Prince George’s County, Maryland. The building will house the manufacturing and warehouse operations for the home improvement and replacement products company, Thompson Creek Window Company. Chesapeake Real Estate Group, a locally based commercial real estate and development company, is managing the project.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan participated in the ceremony along with officials from the Maryland State Senate, Prince George’s County, Thompson Creek Window Company, and Chesapeake Real Estate Group.
“By working with our partners in Prince George’s County, we are ensuring that Thompson Creek – a home-grown, family-operated Maryland company – has a new manufacturing and warehouse facility with the space needed to expand and add new jobs,” said Governor Hogan. “Assisting companies like Thompson Creek underscores our commitment to creating a culture in Maryland where all businesses can grow and thrive.”
For the past thirty-five years, Thompson Creek Window Company has resided in Maryland, manufacturing customized replacement windows, doors, gutters, and siding in the state’s residential and commercial marketplaces. Thompson Creek first began manufacturing energy-efficient windows in Annapolis in the 1980s, but quickly outgrew its workplace and moved to Stevensville. In 2007, the company moved to a 70,000 square foot facility in Landover and opened a brand new corporate headquarters in nearby Lanham, MD.
The $20 million Prince George’s project comprises $17 million for land acquisition and construction, and $3 million for equipment and related infrastructure. Work on the new facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016. The new facility will allow Thompson Creek to manufacture 180,000 windows a year, and will include a research and development facility and a testing facility. Thompson Creek expects to continue expanding by retaining its existing 330 full-time employees and hiring 150 new employees by the end of 2021.
“The building and the location are a perfect match for Thompson Creek Window Company,” said Rick Wuest, President of Thompson Creek Window Company. “The new facility is just seconds from I-95 and will provide us the space we need to grow and provide new jobs in Prince George’s County. The move will be seamless, allowing us to continue deliveries to our customers throughout the region and continue our mission of creating the best customer experience in our industry. Everyone with Thompson Creek Window Company is excited to partner with Chesapeake Real Estate Group to create a state-of-the-art manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution facility to meet our growth objectives.”
“Thompson Creek Window Company is a recognized leader in the regional home improvement industry, and attracting a stable and extremely well-managed company to our Maryland portfolio represents a tremendous opportunity for our company,” stated James Lighthizer, Principal Managing Partner of Chesapeake Real Estate Group. “Our team worked hand-in-hand with Thompson Creek in its comprehensive real estate search. This site offered every amenity and advantage the company required, including rapid connections to major highways and access to a talented and loyal labor market.”
Headquartered in Baltimore, Chesapeake Real Estate Group, LLC is a full service real estate firm specializing in brokerage, property management, and development services. The company currently has more than two million square feet of industrial projects planned across the mid-Atlantic region. For more information, visit www.cregllc.com.