Manekin Signs 15 KSF Lease at Baltimore-Area Office Building

The office building at 1750 Forest Drive was originally a retail property. Image courtesy of Hyatt Commercial

Manekin has signed a 14,732-square-foot lease at a 125,000-square-foot Class A office building in Annapolis, Md., within metro Baltimore. Hyatt Commercial negotiated on behalf of the landlord. Verbal Beginnings, an ABA therapy provider, will join other tenants at the property, such as Physical Therapy Group, South River Mortgage, RedZone and Steiner Houck.

The building at 1750 Forest Drive is a second-generation office redevelopment that features a two-story glass atrium, a café area, showers, bike storage facilities, outdoor spaces and common areas. Additionally, the property includes two passenger elevators, 28,000- to 62,000-square-foot floorplates and 531 vehicle parking spots, according to CommercialEdge. The current ownership purchased the asset in 2016 for $9 million from Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund.

Originally built as a retail facility in 1973, the property served as the former headquarters for the seller and underwent a renovation program completed in July 2019. A partnership between Manekin and Murphy Commercial Real Estate repositioned the single-story building.

The 8-acre property is close to multiple bus stations, 22 miles from Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, 29 miles from downtown Baltimore and within 30 miles of Washington, D.C. Hyatt Commercial’s team of Senior Vice President Laurie Murphy-Zuiderhof and Vice President Randy Miller negotiated on behalf of the landlord.

Significant office deals in Baltimore

In July, Cushman & Wakefield became the exclusive leasing agent of Baltimore Peninsula. Developed by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners, the 235-acre mixed-use project will include 440,000 square feet of office space located within two Fitwel-certified buildings.

In what was one of the most significant leasing deals in recent memory, Morgan Stanley extended and expanded its lease at Thames Street Wharf. In November 2022, Morgan Stanley committed to an additional 46,000 square feet at the location, resulting in a total footprint of 242,000 square feet.