Bland Landscaping is quickly approaching the move-in date at its fourth location in an up-and-coming area of East Durham that has recently undergone major infrastructure improvements as part of the $4.8 million City of Durham streetscaping project. Over the next five years, the Apex-based landscape contracting company plans to hire 100 to 120 people who will be based out of its new facility at 126 Stone Park Court.

Bland Landscaping selected Bobbitt Design Build to develop, design and build the 4.69-acre property, with two buildings going up. The first is a 5,600-square-foot facility that will be used as Bland Landscaping’s base of operations for crews in Durham and Research Triangle Park. The second building is a 5,400-square-foot space being developed for lease to other tenants.

“We considered an investment here in 2008 but got cold feet when the recession hit,” said Kurt Bland, president of Bland Landscaping, who says he has always had an appreciation for Durham. “Now that the city has made strong economic investments, we expect this area to really take off and flourish. We're really excited to see our project come to fruition, and we look forward to becoming a part of this growing community.”

Bland said he chose the area for its accessibility and available workforce. Currently, Bland Landscaping employs more than 200 employees, and about 25% of the workforce does not always have reliable transportation for early shifts. A quarter mile from the nearest bus stop and minutes away from key highways such as 147, 70, I-40 and 85, the new facility is easily accessible to workers from inside and outside of the area and convenient to RTP and the Triad.

Bland Landscaping officials are meeting with community leaders to strategically recruit local workers in the area. When construction is complete, the company plans to host a grand opening event to introduce the new facility to the Durham community. Hiring will begin in May, and Bland Landscaping plans to move into the new building in July.

About Bland Landscaping

Established in 1976, Bland Landscaping serves the Triangle as one of the leading full-service providers for high-end residential estates and commercial landscaping. With a team of skilled landscape experts, professional turfgrass managers, landscape designers and technicians, Bland Landscaping has been recognized by local governments, publications and organizations, as well as local, regional and national landscaping industry associations.