Businesses are looking for a boost from BRAC.
With Harford and Anne Arundel counties getting ready to adjust to the influx of workers and families at Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Meade, regional companies are making their own preparations.
Richard Vohrer, owner of Signs By Tomorrow, a Baltimore-based chain of signs, graphics, logo and lettering stores, is looking ahead, opening a new location in Aberdeen.
“My business partner [Ray Palmer] and I think there are a lot of opportunities, a lot going on with base realignment,” Vohrer said. “There has been expansion there to begin with, but from our perception, there is a demand for the delivery of signs and graphics and the way we do things.”
With stores already in Baltimore City and Dundalk, Vohrer was looking toexpand, and elected to capitalize on both the anticipated Base Realignment and Closure growth and his Harford clients. Both Ripken Baseball and the Aberdeen IronBirds use Signs By Tomorrow. Vohrer is anticipating that with growth in existing area companies, along with the addition of new businesses to the area, there will be an increased demand for signs. Still, Signs By Tomorrow will face competition from existing sign companies such as Vital Signs and Your Name Here Inc.
“It seemed to make sense to expand,” Vohrer said. “If you don?t grow, you die.”
Growth from BRAC is expected to bring around 9,500 jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground and 12,700 to Harford County, a study by the state of Maryland said. These jobs at the APG will create more than 14,000 new households, with an estimated 6,500 of them in Harford.
These new residents should help to generate nearly $125 million in tax revenue. As far as wages, the average for the new jobs created will be more than $70,000, with the new households having a combined income greater than $110,000.
“Harford County is ground zero,” said Karen Emery, Aberdeen Proving Ground regional BRAC manager. “Certainly there are opportunities with businesses related to BRAC, and they have been encouraged by County Executive David Craig and Economic Development Director James Richardson. We want to have these opportunities for our local and existing businesses and welcome new businesses coming to the area.”
