Company leases 8,200 square feet of space with St. John Properties at Cromwell Business Park

BALTIMORE, MD (March 22, 2019) – Shankara, a company that produces and distributes all-natural Ayurvedic skincare products, has announced plans to relocate its corporate offices, manufacturing and research and development operations from San Antonio, Texas to Maryland by this summer. The company signed a lease with St. John Properties, Inc. for approximately 8,200 square feet of space within 899 Airport Park Road, a nearly 70,000 square foot building located within Cromwell Business Park near Baltimore-Washington International Airport in Anne Arundel County. Approximately 15 employees will initially work at the facility, with additional hiring expected throughout the year. Lacey Johansson of St. John Properties represented the landlord and Kate Jordan of Lee & Associates Maryland represented the tenant in this transaction.

Founded in 2001, the company markets a diverse line of skincare products using an Ayurvedic approach that emphasizes plant-based and all-natural ingredients to promote wellness and sustainable care. The line includes face cleansers and exfoliators; body washes, scrubs and moisturizers; hair shampoo and scalp oil; as well as anti-aging, acne, foot care and stress relief lotions and creams. Shankara products are available on-line and in more than 300 luxury spas including the Encore and Caesars Palace hotels in Las Vegas; Fontainebleau Miami Beach;  Mandarin Oriental New York; The Breakers Palm Beach; Ocean Reef Club; The Reefs Bermuda and the Canyon Ranch resorts and line of cruise ships.

“First initiated by the need for a larger manufacturing facility, we concluded the company would be better served with an East Coast location that was within close proximity to a major port and airport,” explained Dr. Ajay Tejasvi, President, Shankara, Inc. “Because our products are all-natural and sensitive to temperature swings, assuring expedited delivery is essential to maintaining its integrity. Our new location near a major transportation hub and metropolitan area, will simplify the shipping process around the world, while also providing a central point for visiting clients and customers. Several of our top executives presently live in the Washington, D.C. region, which is also a convenient commute for them.”

899 Airport Park Road is a single-story flex/R&D building featuring 24 foot ceiling heights and dock loading capabilities. Cromwell Business Park, situated directly off Interstate 97 near Baltimore-Washington International Airport, consists of 19 office, flex/R&D and retail buildings comprising more than 820,000 square feet of space. The business community is approximately 10 miles from Baltimore, less than 20 miles from Annapolis and approximately 30 miles from Washington, D.C.

“BWI Airport remains a significant economic engine for Anne Arundel County as companies need distribution and warehouse space nearby to transfer freight in an expeditious manner,” explained Richard Williamson, Senior Vice President of Leasing and Marketing for St. John Properties. “In addition to Cromwell Business Park, our company has approximately four million square feet of space clustered around the airport and it is predominantly leased. Shankara has demonstrated consistent growth throughout its history and we anticipate helping them with future expansion plans.”

“After conducting a multi-county real estate search, the Cromwell Business Park location emerged as the winner based on the availability of nearby amenities for company employees, the fertile labor market that will help Shankara attract talent and the numerous hotels and conference facilities that will be convenient for out-of-state customers and guests,”  stated Kate Jordan, Principal, Lee & Associates | Maryland.  “Shankara was particularly impressed by St. John Properties in-house design and construction team, who worked tirelessly through many revisions to arrive at what will be a state of the art manufacturing facility.”

St. John Properties, Inc., founded in 1971, owns and has developed more than 19 million square feet of flex/R&D, Office, Retail and Warehouse space in Maryland, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Utah and Wisconsin. The company was named “2018 Developer of the Year” for the Nation by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.  For more information about the company, visit sjp.mu9b0uf9-liquidwebsites.com.