The Residences at Annapolis Junction Welcomes Residents

The 416-unit luxury property is the residential component of a mixed-use TOD developed by Somerset Construction and Armada Hoffler in Howard County, Md. The project will also include an intermodal parking structure, Class A office space and retail.

By Jeffrey Steele

The Residences at Annapolis Junction in Howard County, Md.

The Residences at Annapolis Junction in Howard County, Md.

The first renters moved into The Residences at Annapolis Junction in Howard County, Md. The five-story, 416-unit luxury apartment community represents the residential component of Annapolis Junction Town Center, a mixed-use transit-oriented development (TOD). Somerset Construction Co. and Armada Hoffler Properties developed the community, which is situated next to the Savage Maryland Rail Commuter Rail (MARC) Station. S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. will provide day-to-day management services.

The TOD also includes a four-level MARC station garage/intermodal facility accommodating more than 700 vehicles as well as a four-story, 101,000-square-foot Class A commercial office building and roughly 20,000 square feet of retail space. A hotel will also be developed on the site.

High-end standard features

The Residences at Annapolis Junction features 123 two-bedroom units, 248 one-bedroom apartments and 45 studios. Ranging in size from 520 square feet for studios to 1,629 square feet for two-bedroom loft homes, the units feature a long list of standard features.

These include nine-foot ceiling heights, open-design kitchen area with breakfast bars and granite countertops, 42-inch kitchen cabinets, upgraded Frigidaire stainless steel appliance package with washers and dryers, designer lighting and extra-large closets with custom organizers, spa-inspired bathrooms with separate showers and extra-large tubs, seven- and eight-foot tall doors throughout the units, ceiling fans with lights, wood plank flooring in kitchen and dining room and porcelain tile in the bathrooms.

Creating a market

Somerset Construction Co. met with a unique environment while developing the project. “The good news is there is no housing in this underserved submarket; the bad news is there is no housing in this submarket,” Somerset Construction Co. COO Neil Greenberg told MHN. “Lenders prefer to locate adjacent to other product. Anytime you see a market with no housing, you’re creating a market. We’re creating a market. So, it’s a great opportunity.”

The developer explained that there is demand for amenity-rich properties. “We have a bocce court, six grilling areas, poolside cabana, 12-foot poolside TV for movie night at the pool, a bike repair room, pet spa and dog walk area,” Greenberg added.

Somerset’s CEO underlined the project’s convenient location in terms of employment. “We’re less than three miles from the Fort Meade National Security Administration, with 65,000 employees at that government installation, in Annapolis Junction, Md.,” said Greenberg. “Within a two-mile radius of the Annapolis Junction project, there are 18,000 white-collar, family supporting jobs. It’s all about providing housing near where people work, for smart growth.”

Sustainable design

The community is aiming to attain “green living” status. The building envelope and internal package, with features such as energy-efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning and central hot water systems, was designed to earn LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Residences at Annapolis Junction is one of the few Central Maryland communities which offers rail service connections to points throughout Baltimore and Washington, D.C. “Annapolis Junction Town Center represents Howard County’s first transit-oriented development and residents have quickly embraced the concept of a lifestyle that makes vehicle ownership optional,” Greenberg added.

Image courtesy of Somerset Construction Co.