Dominion’s Vice President of LNG Operations Mike Frederick, left, accepts a citation from Calvert County Commissioners’ President Tom Hejl, marking the opening of the company’s warehouse in Lusby.
Lusby, MD – Calvert County Commissioners’ President Tom Hejl [R – At large] spoke what was on the minds of others gathered inside one of the county’s newest buildings. “This is a warehouse?” Hejl exclaimed. The new 60,000-square foot building built in less than a year by Dominion Energy is, in addition to being a warehouse, an office building with conference rooms and an emergency control center.
Besides being a satellite location for Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant the structure is the first to be located within the confines of Patuxent Business Park. The parcel was established over 15 years ago by Calvert County Government and the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) and envisioned as a location for the ever-growing high tech industry companies seeking a presence in Southern Maryland. That vision hasn’t panned out. The May 23 opening of the Dominion building marks the first sign of progress toward making the vision a reality. “It’s a great day for [the Department of] Economic Development,” said Hejl. “We’re impressed with everything Dominion does.”
Maryland Delegate Jerry Clark [R – District 29C], who was a county commissioner when Dominion announced its intention to expand the Cove Point plant so that LNG could be exported as well as imported, stated “Dominion has been a great partner everyone in this room had a part in making Dominion Cove Point a great plant.”
Clark acknowledged that the entire community has not embraced Dominion’s presence and its $3.8 billion liquefaction project. Due to his unabashed support for Dominion, Clark often found himself in the middle of the strident discussion. “It wasn’t a war, it was a difference of opinion,” said Clark. Of the new facility, Clark added, “hopefully it will kick-start this development [of Patuxent Business Park].”
“We’re happy to be here,” said Dominion’s Vice President of LNG Operations Mike Frederick. He noted the LNG plant “has been in the community for 40 years.” Frederick also mentioned that the Dominion Foundation, the altruistic arm of the company, has given over $2.5 million to various Maryland agencies since acquiring the Cove Point facility back in 2002.
After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were given tours of the new building. Engineer Tony Richardson told his tour group that the warehouse will quickly fill up with supplies now that the building is operational. Items that had been in storage at a location in Calvert Industrial Park are being transported to the Patuxent Business Park location. He told TheBayNet.com that three company employees currently work in the warehouse but the number of employees who will have their offices relocated there has yet to be determined.
In addition to four offices on the structure’s south side, the facility includes a media center, media room, conference room and emergency operations center.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
