The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) celebrated the groundbreakings for two new commercial projects at Patuxent Business Park (PBP) in Lusby on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Patuxent Business Park was the first comprehensively planned business campus in Southern Maryland. The purchase and development of this property allowed for assistance in getting critical and redundant infrastructure to the Lusby Town Center. There are 14 lots at PBP; six are either sold or currently under contract.
“We are thrilled to break ground on two important investments in Patuxent Business Park,” said BOCC President Earl F. “Buddy” Hance. “This is a great win for our county that will help bring in new investments and new jobs, and we are pleased to see these projects move forward.”
BHE GT&S purchased Lot 5 for expansion of their Lusby operations. The project will include a commuter parking lot for support and operations staff, as well as a 28,000-square-foot office and warehouse facility. This project received site plan approval in March 2022.
In June 2020, John Simpson, Jr., owner/partner of 2J Enterprises, LLC, purchased Lot 11 for construction of a flex space facility. The project is comprised of a 12,600-square-foot warehouse and flex-use space building that will accommodate a number of light industrial uses, with up to half the facility available for lease. This project received final site plan approval in April 2022.
Simpson said, “I am eager to get construction of this building under way and am certain it will be a popular and prime location for many local small businesses to expand and grow their operations.”
“We are very excited to join the BOCC in welcoming these two new commercial development projects to our community,” said Economic Development Director Julie Oberg. “Both of these projects represent important investments in our community. They will bring new products and services, new tax revenue, new jobs and increased opportunity for other businesses to collaborate, expand and succeed in Calvert County.”
PBP is a 92-acre business campus designed to accommodate a variety of uses, including Class A office and flex space. The park was created in 2002 through a partnership with the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) and the Calvert County BOCC.
PBP is located in a federal Opportunity Zone and offers a number of additional incentives for businesses seeking to purchase land and build. PBP is also a Calvert County Commerce Zone, a designation that extends tax credits to qualifying new and expanding businesses. The PBP Commerce Zone real property tax credit is calculated on the value of the qualifying new construction. To qualify, businesses are required to construct new premises or expand existing premises. The real property tax credit is 50% in years one through five, 25% for years six and seven, and 15% for years eight through 10 before expiring.
Pictured, from left: Julie Oberg, director of economic development for Calvert County; Danny Woods, vice president of operations for BHE GT&S Cove Point LNG; Commissioner Chris Gadway; Commissioner Mike Hart; Frank Brayton, director of LNG operations for BHE GT&S Cove Point LNG; Commissioner Vice President Steven Weems; Chris McNelis, realtor/listing agent, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty; David Melson, Supervisor Cove Point LNG Maintenance, BHE GT&S Cove Point; and Commissioner President Earl “Buddy” Hance
Pictured, from left: Julie Oberg, director of economic development for Calvert County; Chris McNelis, realtor/listing agent, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty; Bruce Alderman, Maryland Department of Commerce; Tony Olekson, RA Barrett & Associates; Commissioner Vice President Steven Weems; Commissioner President Earl “Buddy” Hance; Commissioner Mike Hart; Commissioner Chris Gadway; Jeremy Schultz, 2J Enterprises, LLC; and Lauren Simpson, 2J Enterprises, LLC
