Articles by: Eric Drenner

Tree planting has proven to be one of the most cost effective methods of controlling the cooling and heating costs of buildings. The use of trees in landscaping allows for the creation of an energy saving environment, both inside and outside a building. Trees therefore advance many benefits. They allow […]

The team here at E-Landscape is excited to once again be working with Maryland-based Mid Atlantic general contractor Hamel Builders, this time on the House of Lebanon in Washington, DC. House of Lebanon is an adaptive reuse project involving redevelopment of The Margaret Murray Washington Career High School (MM Washington), […]

Davidsonville, MD November 17, 2012 – Maryland‐based Mid Atlantic general contractor Hamel Builders has selected E‐Landscape Specialty Solutions to provide commercial landscaping services for the House of Lebanon in Washington, DC. House of Lebanon is an adaptive reuse project involving redevelopment of The Margaret Murray Washington Career High School (MM Washington), a historic school building located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington DC. Built in 1912, the school is part of a cluster of African American schools constructed around the same time as middle class African American families, who were restricted from living in other sections of the city by restrictive covenants, moved into the neighborhood in the late nineteenth century. In 2009, MM Washington was closed and deemed surplus property by the District of Columbia Public Schools. As a result, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development issued a competitive bid for redevelopment of the property, and ultimately awarded the contract to Mission First Housing Development Corporation and its partners, Mt. Lebanon CDC and Urban Matters LLC. The House of Lebanon project will preserve the historic integrity of the MM Washington building while bringing much needed affordable housing and community space to a transforming neighborhood. The project, which was designed by Cunningham Quill Architects, features 82 units of affordable senior housing and 12,000 square feet of community space, and will comply with Enterprise Green Communities criteria. E‐Landscape’s scope of work includes landscape installation, pavers, and structural soil. “The House of Lebanon project is a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio of affordable housing work,” commented E‐Landscape President Eric Drenner. “It is also another opportunity for us to team with Hamel Builders, a company with which we’ve developed a strong partnership.”

Most landscape contractors provide a variety of services and do work for residential and commercial clients. Here at E-Landscape, we’ve chosen to focus on providing commercial-only landscape design, installation, and maintenance services. One of the questions we frequently get is “what is the difference between a regular landscape contractor and […]

E-Landscape has recently started work installing the landscape for a new 122-unit affordable apartment building in Arlington, Virginia. Located on the north portion of the Arlington Mill site on Dinwiddie Street and adjacent to the new Community Center and Glen Carlyn Park, the Arlington Mill Residences will be a 4-story, family-friendly building […]

Davidsonville, MD October 29, 2012 – Davidsonville, Maryland‐based commercial landscaping firm E‐Landscape Specialty Solutions has been selected to install the landscape for a new 122‐unit affordable apartment building in Arlington, Virginia. Located on the north portion of the Arlington Mill site on Dinwiddie Street and adjacent to the new Community Center and Glen Carlyn Park, the Arlington Mill Residences will be a 4‐story, family‐ friendly building featuring a community room and underground parking. The building will achieve EarthCraft certification and will incorporate many green design features including highly efficient heating and cooling systems and EnergyStar rated appliances. The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) is the project developer.  Ninety‐nine percent (121 of 122 units) will be affordable to households earning at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). The new residential building will include eight efficiencies, 16 one‐bedroom units, 73 two‐ bedroom units, and 25 three‐bedroom units. Thirteen of the units will be dedicated as supportive housing units for persons earning very low incomes, at or below 40 percent of the AMI, and who are also clients of Arlington County’s Supportive Housing program.  An additional thirteen units will be leased to families earning at or below 50 percent of the AMI. Together the buildings will form the core of the “Neighborhood Center,” one of four major mixed use centers along the Pike within the Columbia Pike Special Revitalization District. “We’re proud to have been selected as the landscape installation contractor for Arlington Mills,” commented E‐Landscape President Eric Drenner. “This is a signature project in the Columbia Pike area and a great addition to our already strong portfolio of affordable housing work.” E‐Landscape’s scope of work for the Arlington Mills Residences includes on‐structure soil, planting, pavers, masonry steps, irrigation, and the installation of site furnishings and play equipment.

The Eastport Yacht Club project is a gut renovation and expansion of an existing Yacht Club in Eastport (a waterfront neighborhood in Annapolis, Maryland) that is known for its racing commitment and volunteerism within the boating community. When the Eastport Yacht Club began building a permanent clubhouse in 1989, it […]

Davidsonville, MD October 15, 2012 – Davidsonville, Maryland‐based commercial landscaping firm E‐Landscape Specialty Solutions has been selected to install the landscape for Eastport Yacht Club’s new clubhouse building. The Eastport Yacht Club project is a gut renovation and expansion of an existing Yacht Club in Eastport (a waterfront neighborhood in Annapolis, Maryland) that is known for its racing commitment and volunteerism within the boating community. When the Eastport Yacht Club began building a permanent clubhouse in 1989, it only had 200 members. As a result, the facility that was constructed at 317 First Street in Eastport was of modest size. Since then, the Club has steadily grown to 600 voting members. Space in the upstairs bar and dining rooms was becoming more cramped by the year while the kitchen facility was not nearly large enough to handle the volume of food service required. In addition, the club has greatly expanded its mission and now hosts numerous major regattas while also offering an instructional program for youth sailors. Eastport Yacht Club leaders first discussed a major renovation about a decade ago and took the first step toward raising the funds required to meet that goal in 2007. EYC leaders finally decided to move forward with the project and the old clubhouse was torn down in February, 2012. Construction on a sparkling new clubhouse that will be almost twice the size was initiated about a month later by Brown Contracting, and the new 8,000‐square foot clubhouse, which is being built on the basic footprint of the old one, is scheduled to open this fall. Now that the project is nearing completion, E‐Landscape has been selected to install the landscaping and lawns for the finished clubhouse.

Fall is a beautiful time of year to be outdoors working on landscaping projects. The team here at E-Landscape is particularly enjoying working on the landscaping for the new Hodson House at St. John’s College in Annapolis. Part of the school’s 2010 Campus Master Plan, Hodson House will provide the […]

Davidsonville, MD October 3, 2012 – Davidsonville, Maryland‐based commercial landscaping firm E‐Landscape Specialty Solutions has been selected to install the landscaping for the new Hodson House at St. John’s College in Annapolis. Part of the school’s 2010 Campus Master Plan, Hodson House will provide the school with a multi‐purpose classroom and faculty and administrative offices. E‐Landscape’s scope of work for the Hodson House project includes planting, drainage, topsoil, and the installation of pavers and sod. “We’re particularly excited to be working on the Hodson House project,” commented E‐Landscape President Eric Drenner. St. John’s College is an important historic site and we are proud to play a part in beautifying it.”