Corporate Office Properties Trust Was the Winner of the 2010 National Commercial Real Estate Customer Service Award for Excellence for the Seventh Year in a Row

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COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) (NYSE: OFC) announced today that it has achieved the "Best In The Industry" ranking for 2010 by CEL & Associates, Inc. for commitment to the highest level of quality and service to their tenants. The Company won the 2010 National Commercial Real Estate Customer Service Award for Excellence for Category I portfolios, also referred to as the "A List" Award. Category I is for companies owning over 100 properties, the largest of the categories. CEL & Associates, Inc. is the nation's largest surveyor of tenant satisfaction within the real estate industry. This is the seventh year in a row that the Company has been the winner in the largest owner category.

In addition, the Company has 165 buildings that received the property level "A List" Award. To qualify for the "A List" Award, each property must achieve a 50% minimum tenant response rate and a Service Index score of 85 or above which is based on specific success factors: readiness to solve problems, responsiveness and follow-through, quality of management services, relationship rating and renewal retention.

"We are tremendously honored to win this award for the seventh year in a row. We continued our commitment to outstanding customer service during this severe recession. This award recognizes that our customers appreciate our effort," stated Randall M. Griffin, Chief Executive Officer for Corporate Office Properties Trust. "COPT's team continued its innovative approach to customer service that resulted in higher scores, over previous years, in every category of service," he added.

Company Information

Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) (NYSE: OFC) is a specialty office real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses primarily on strategic customer relationships and specialized tenant requirements in the U.S. Government and Defense Information Technology sectors and Data Centers serving such sectors. The Company acquires, develops, manages and leases office and data center properties that are typically concentrated in large office parks primarily located adjacent to government demand drivers and/or in strong markets that we believe possess growth opportunities. As of December 31, 2010, the Company owned 272 office properties totaling 21.1 million rentable square feet, which includes 20 properties totaling 1.1 million square feet held through joint ventures. The Company's portfolio primarily consists of technically sophisticated buildings in visually appealing settings that are environmentally sensitive, sustainable and meet unique customer requirements. COPT is an S&P MidCap 400 company and more information can be found at www.copt.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements, as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the Company. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "plan" or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate. Accordingly, the Company can give no assurance that these expectations, estimates and projections will be achieved. Future events and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.

Important factors that may affect these expectations, estimates, and projections include, but are not limited to: 

    --  general economic and business conditions, which will, among other
        things, affect office property demand and rents, tenant
        creditworthiness, interest rates and financing availability;
    --  adverse changes in the real estate markets including, among other
        things, increased competition with other companies;
    --  the Company's ability to borrow on favorable terms;
    --  risk of real estate acquisition and development, including, among other
        things, risks that development projects may not be completed on
        schedule, that tenants may not take occupancy or pay rent or that
        development or operating costs may be greater than anticipated;
    --  risks of investing through joint venture structures, including risks
        that the Company's joint venture partners may not fulfill their
        financial obligations as investors or may take actions that are
        inconsistent with the Company's objectives;
    --  changes in our plans or views of market economic conditions or failure
        to obtain development rights, either of which, could result in
        recognition of impairment losses;
    --  our ability to satisfy and operate effectively under federal income tax
        rules relating to real estate investment trusts and partnerships;
    --  governmental actions and initiatives; and
    --  environmental requirements.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements. For further information, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. 


    Source: Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT)

Released April 6, 2011