Maryland’s largest charter school operator with STEM-focused curriculum leases 72,120 square feet of space with St. John Properties, Inc. and will occupy two full buildings in fall 2023

BALTIMORE, MD (August l5, 2022) – The Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation has chosen Arundel Overlook, a 68-acre business community located near BWI Airport, as the site of their first elementary school in Anne Arundel County.  The Chesapeake Science Point Charter School campus network includes six schools with STEM-focused curricula. The group signed two full-building leases with St. John Properties, Inc. for 72,120 square feet of combined space at 1503 and 1513 Signature Drive. Initial kindergarten through fifth grade classes are expected to begin at Arundel Overlook in fall 2023, and at full capacity, approximately 600 students will be enrolled at the campus. Lacey Johansson of St. John Properties represented the landlord and Chuck Breitenother and Austin Eber of NAI KLNB represented the client in this transaction.

Founded in 2005, Chesapeake Science Point Charter school currently operates two elementary, one middle school, one sixth grade through twelfth grade and one high school in Prince George’s County, as well as one sixth through twelfth grade school in Anne Arundel County. Graduation rates for the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program are typically 95% or higher.

“Many different factors are taken into consideration when choosing a site for a new school, with the safety of the students always at the top of our priorities,” explained Dr. Glenda Washington, Director of Communications for Chesapeake Science Point Charter. “The structure of the building itself has to be safe, with the interior conducive to a nurturing and welcoming environment. The school should also be easily accessible to Anne Arundel County residents. Arundel Overlook checked all the boxes, as we were able to secure two adjacent buildings to suit our operational needs and St. John Properties worked closely with us to coordinate a delivery date that matched our schedule.”

Chesapeake Science Point Charter intends to initially open at Arundel Overlook with approximately 380 students and 30 staff, before reaching an enrollment of 576 students at full capacity in 2028. Chesapeake Science Point Elementary curriculum is intended to expose and instill innovation and creativity in elementary school students through the use of coding, robotics and virtual reality, with teaching tactics including small group classes, experiential learning and hands-on inquiry.

“Our vision is to inspire students to become STEM innovators and responsible citizens. We have become a STEM-focused world and some aspects of science, technology, engineering or math are now driving the workforce. Having students exposed to STEM in elementary school encourages their thinking around STEM careers,” added Washington.

1503 Signature Drive and 1513 Signature Drive are single-story buildings containing 42,120 and 30,000 square feet of flex/R&D space respectively. Each is equipped with 18-foot ceilings, dock or drive-in rear loading, and surrounded by free, surface parking lots.

Arundel Overlook is situated at the intersection of Dorsey Road (MD Route 176) and Airport Way and is adjacent to MD Routes 100 and 295, as well as Interstate 95. The business community is nine miles from Columbia, 12 miles from Baltimore and 20 miles from Annapolis.

“The flexible layouts of both buildings will enable Chesapeake Science Point Charter to execute its layout featuring multiple classrooms, group learning centers, recreational spaces and administrative offices,” stated Matt Lenihan, Senior Vice President, Leasing for St. John Properties. “Arundel Overlook’s central location off several major highways will also serve as a valuable amenity to help recruit students and teachers from an expansive radius.”

Founded in 1971, St. John Properties, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest and most successful privately held commercial real estate firms. The company is distinguished by its commitment to customer service, achievements in green building, and top-rated workplace culture. Throughout St. John Properties’ 51-year history, the company has developed more than 22 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail, warehouse space and has investments in over 2,600 residential units. The company proudly serves more than 2,500 clients in Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin. For more information about the company, visit www.sjpi.com.