FIRST Life Sciences Building in New East Baltimore Science and Technology Park to Receive Final Structural Beam at Ceremonial "Topping Out" on Friday, April 27

Mayor Sheila Dixon, Elected Officials, and Community Leaders Will Be on Hand to Sign the Ceremonial Beam on the John G. Rangos Sr. Building at the New Life Sciences and Technology Park at Johns Hopkins

The "Topping Out" of the first Life Sciences building of the New East Baltimore Community project will be held on Friday, April 27, 2007 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the parking lot at Ashland Avenue and Wolfe Street in East Baltimore.

The event is being hosted by Forest City-New East Baltimore Partnership along with partners Hensel Phelps/Commercial Interiors, East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI), and Johns Hopkins Institutions.

Mayor Sheila Dixon, craftspeople, dignitaries, and distinguished guests will join in signing the ceremonial final beam, to be hoisted atop the 855 N. Wolfe Street building, scheduled to open in Spring 2008. The "Topping Out" ceremony is one of the construction industry's oldest traditions, honoring the construction workers and recognizing the milestone of reaching the top of the structure.

The state-of-the-art facility is the FIRST of five life science/office buildings planned within the Science and Technology Park at Johns Hopkins. It will be integrated into the New East Baltimore Community, a 31-acre development that includes new housing options, over a million square feet of office/research and a variety of retail services. A network of parks and pedestrian paths will knit the development together and link it with the adjacent Johns Hopkins campus. Because of its proximity to Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, The Science and Technology Park at Johns Hopkins will position the Baltimore Region as one of the country's leading research clusters. This extensive East Baltimore revitalization is also expected to stimulate area economic development, create new jobs, and stabilize the community.

The ceremonial top beam is to be flanked by two East Baltimore natives (both Hensel Phelps/Commercial Interiors employees) who have been working on the project, one a project engineer, Sharnell Brown, the other a laborer, Norman Henderson. Brown and Henderson represent the 62% of people on the project who are from East Baltimore and surrounding areas.

Many of those contributing to the project are minorities, women, and local Baltimore-based businesses. In fact, 36% of the subcontracts on the project have been issued to minority business enterprises, 7.4% have been issued to woman-run business enterprises, and 23% have been issued to local business enterprises. In addition, 66% of the employee hours worked onsite have been by minorities and women, 62% of the employees working onsite are Baltimore-Area residents, and 43% of the employees working onsite are Baltimore City residents.

More than 200 attendees are expected to share in the celebration including:

Joseph Haskins, Chairman, Harbor Bank/Chair, EBDI Board
Senator Barbara Mikulski's office
Dr. Edward D. Miller, CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Congressman Elijah Cummings
Steve Speer, Vice President/mid-Atlantic District Manager, Hensel Phelps
Kevin Johnson, President/CEO, Commercial Interiors
Brian D. Morris, CEO, Presidential Partners
Gayle Farris, President, Forest City Science and Technology Group
Rev. Frances "Toni" Draper who will deliver the closing prayer

The event kicks off at 11:30 at the corner of Ashland Avenue and North Wolfe Street with the signing of the beam. Donations, of any amount, will be accepted from each signer with the proceeds going to the Dunbar Science Scholars program.

Hensel Phelps has made a huge commitment to the community in the process of doing work here. As part of that, Steve Speer, Vice President/mid-Atlantic District Manager, Hensel Phelps will present a check at the ceremony to Dunbar Science Scholars to benefit them any way Dunbar chooses to use the money.

The ceremony will be followed by lunch.

Directions to the site:

ALL POINTS SOUTH - From 295 - Take into Baltimore Pass M&T Bank Stadium OR Camden Yards; Make Right on Pratt; Turn Left onto South President Street; Turn Right onto East Fayette Street; Turn Left on North Broadway; Turn Right on Ashland Ave; LOOK FOR WHITE TENT.

All POINTS NORTH - Take 695 West to 83 South (until 83 ends); Make left onto East Fayette Street; Turn Left on North Broadway; Turn Right on Ashland Ave; LOOK FOR WHITE TENT.

Since 1937, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. (Hensel Phelps) has delivered the best value in building services by placing expert construction professionals on every project undertaken. Hensel Phelps is consistently ranked among the top general contractors and construction managers in the nation by ENR (Engineering News Record). Closely directed by personnel in district offices strategically located throughout the United States, Hensel Phelps builds a diverse range of project types, including new construction and renovation of commercial office, airport, distribution and industrial, correctional, public assembly, sports, health care, educational, institutional, residential, mixed use, retail, hospitality, mass transportation, entertainment, microelectronics, research and development, and laboratory facilities. These projects have been built for both public and private clients using various delivery methods. For more information, please visit http://www.henselphelps.com.