Subway and Two Firms Lease Space in New Building

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2009

CONTACT:
Deborah Shapiro
Marketing Manager
410-455-1509
dshapiro@umbc.edu

bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park is pleased to announce that three tenants have signed leases totaling over 13,000 square feet of space in its newest building, 5520 Research Park Drive. The Research Group, Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and Subway Café will join current tenant RMF Engineering in early 2010.

The Research Group, a full service market research firm, and its focus group facilities and field-service division, Observation Baltimore, will move from their downtown Baltimore headquarters to an 8,000 square-foot space on the second floor of the 5520 building in March. The company is excited about the strategic location because of its convenience to BWI Airport, D.C., and downtown Baltimore, making it easy to accommodate its national client base.

"Ninety-five percent of our clients come to us from out of town. Proximity to BWI, AMTRAK, downtown Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. provides tremendous opportunities to serve our current clients better, and more importantly, attract new prospects," said Barbara Gassaway, president and CEO of The Research Group. "We are extremely impressed with the quality and environmental friendliness of the 5520 facility, and we are equally excited about the range of opportunities UMBC offers as a new academic partner."

Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT), a statewide coalition of business leaders working to improve public education in Maryland, will occupy nearly 3,500 square feet on the first floor. MBRT is excited about joining the UMBC community.

“The bwtech@UMBC Research Park offers us an ideal location to continue our mission of improving Maryland’s public schools, with a focus on science, math, engineering and technology,” said June Streckfus, executive director of MBRT. “UMBC is a standout in this area and we are excited to be on campus.”

Subway Café, which will occupy 1,600 square feet on the building’s first floor, gives the building a food service establishment and is expected to be a big selling point to future tenants. The first Subway Café opened in Alexandria, VA in the summer of 2008 and is expanding across the country. The restaurants are an upscale version of the traditional Subway concept and feature panini sandwiches, gelato, baked goods and coffee drinks in addition to the chain's traditional subs.

“We are delighted to welcome these companies to the Research Park,” said Ellen Hemmerly, executive director, bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park. “Our state-of-the-art Class A office space, located in a federal HUBZone with incentives available, is proving very attractive to many businesses.”

The 107,000 square foot building was developed by Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) (NYSE: OFC). This is the second building COPT developed at the park; the first was the U.S. Geological Survey building at 5522 Research Park Drive.