Gill-Simpson Breaks Ground on New Owings Mills Headquarters

New Two-Story Project Intended for LEED® Gold Certification

BALTIMORE, July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gill-Simpson, a Baltimore-based electrical engineering and construction company, broke ground today on its new 40,000 square foot headquarters in Owings Mills. The two-story Class A building, which is intended for LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) gold certification, will house 50 of the company's project management, engineering and estimating staff; its remaining 500 staff and field employees will continue to work from offices in Baltimore City, Hagerstown and Cumberland and job sites across the mid-Atlantic.

"The current energy market is very dynamic," said Christopher Odell, president of Gill-Simpson. "We're seeing tremendous opportunity for a company with our expertise in renewable generation and large-scale energy usage and our investment in this project reflects our accelerated growth in those areas."

Gill-Simpson was founded in Baltimore in 1932. Now in its fourth generation of leadership, the company has grown from a provider of industrial and commercial electrical contracting services to an authority on renewable generation and critical power projects. Noteworthy projects include: Streator Cayuga Ridge wind farm in Odell, Illinois, the Staples Distribution Solar Project in Hagerstown, Maryland and Aberdeen, Maryland's BRAC C4ISR facility, one of the nation's largest electrical installations.

"The fact that Gill-Simpson is currently providing large-scale electrical services to major construction projects throughout Maryland is another signal that the economy is turning around," said David S. Iannucci, executive director, Baltimore County Department of Economic Development, who spoke at the groundbreaking event earlier today.

Gill-Simpson's new headquarters is scheduled for completion in May 2011. It is the first of three buildings Gill-Simpson plans to develop on the 13-acre site, which will provide 180,000 total square feet of office space. The company plans to lease 25% of the headquarters building and all of the second and third buildings.

Special features include:

• Geothermal heating and cooling (saves 24% of all energy used)
• Roof-mounted 10 kilowatt photovoltaic array
• Water-efficient restroom fixtures and self-metering faucets (reduces water demand by 30%)
• 85% day lighting for occupied spaces
• 92% interior views from occupied spaces. Use of interior glazing between perimeter offices and interior offices/workspaces
• Preferred parking for hybrid vehicles

The project's architect is Bill Nitzel of SWB Architects. The general contractor is Kimball Construction.

"Construction of a new corporate headquarters built to the highest green standards is a welcome investment in Baltimore County," said Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith.

About Gill-Simpson

Gill-Simpson is a Baltimore-based electrical engineering and construction company that provides specialized design, installation and maintenance services to clients in private industry, commercial services and the public sector. Founded in 1932, the firm has consistently met the needs of high-performance, integrated electrical systems, resulting in projects designed and built for maximum energy efficiency and exceptional building function. A privately held company, Gill-Simpson has 550 employees in three offices in Baltimore, Hagerstown and Cumberland, Md.

SOURCE Gill-Simpson