After 30 years, it’s moving day for
IFI
The International Fabricare
Institute will be moving
to a new location, leaving behind the headquarters it has
occupied for 30 years in Silver Spring, MD.
On May 10, IFI purchased a new
headquarters facility at 14700 Sweitzer Lane in Laurel, MD,
approximately two blocks off of I-95. The one-story, all-brick
building is just over 12 years old.
Only four days prior to closing the deal,
IFI sold its existing property. Two suitors had spent
one-and-a-half years negotiating to buy it.
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The association has already begun the
initial stage of the moving process by finalizing the plans and
layouts, however, the crux of the relocation will wait until
summer.
In the meantime, IFI will keep its phones
up and running and regular activities, such as the on-site
School of Dry Cleaning Technology — will resume
unaffected.
“A major challenge for us is keeping
services fully active during the move,” Fisher noted.
“There will be no interruption of services, and we are
planning a smooth transition.”
Members who want to contact the
association can use the same phone numbers — (800)
638-2627 or (301) 622-1900 — as well as the current web
address (www.ifi.org) and e-mail: techline@ifi.org.
Part of the reason for the move was that
IFI’s existing location at 12251 Tech Road in Silver
Spring was beginning to show its age. Making matters more
complicated was the fact that the immediate area would
eventually have an overpass built directly at the interchange
of Tech Road and Route 29, thus making it difficult even to get
to the building.
Despite that fact, IFI had several
unsolicited offers for years on the property. Over the course
of the past year, the bids from adjacent property owners had
doubled in amount.
“Like a lot of folks, I waited to
see if anything was going to happen with the move,”
recalled IFI President Don Fawcett. “We’d been
talking about it and working on purchasing a new building and
selling the present location, but it was more relaxed overall:
‘OK. We’ll see. It may happen and it may
not.’”
Fortunately, it happened. Fawcett believes
IFI will be rewarded well for its patience.
“When we received the keys to the
new location and went inside for the first time as owners
— and not prospective buyers — all I could think of
was what a great deal we got. This is positive all around for
IFI and its members.”
One benefit for students and visitors will
be improved hotel access at the new location. There are only
two blocks between the new headquarters and the nearest hotel,
so shuttle rides will no longer be necessary.
Also, the move will ultimately result in a
shift toward greater efficiency for IFI, which will redesign
its instruction area to be more productive in less space.
“Not many people were aware of the
size of IFI,” Fisher explained. “We’re going
from 26,500 square feet to 20,500 square feet, which will help
us reduce the amount of money we spend on energy.”
District Four Director H. Steven Poulos,
chairman of IFI’s new equipment committee, also cited the
move as a catalyst for progress.
“This move is going to catapult IFI
into the 21st century,” he said. “We have lots of
new equipment coming in, and the new facility will be a great
improvement.
“Everything will be new, from the
phone system and the furniture to the cleaning machines and
presses.”
According to Poulos, a number of equipment
manufacturers have already agreed to donate or lend equipment
to the new IFI School of Dry Cleaning Technology. Other
companies that want to do the same may contact Poulos at (330)
494-8083 or ifidist4@ifi.org.
Brian Johnson, instructor for the school,
believes the updates will help IFI increase its training
potential even more.
“While IFI’s drycleaning
courses have always been regarded as the best in the industry,
the new facility will solidify our position as No. 1,” he
said. “The only organization that could top IFI is IFI,
and that’s what we’re doing”
The last time IFI changed its address was
in 1974. At that time, Fisher designed the layout for the Tech
Road location because Metro transit had forced the organization
to move from its original site in downtown Silver Spring.
Fisher remembers that move — and the
stress it harbored — very well.
“This move will be a heck of a
lot easier,” Fisher said. “In 1974, the staff moved
everything themselves. This time we’re hiring a mover.
The idea is to keep services going without interruption. We
don’t want to miss a single call.”
During the move 30 years ago, IFI had to
set up base in a temporary headquarters before settling in to
the Tech Road building. The original administration building
was subsequently demolished to make way for the Metro rail. IFI
collected a cornerstone that was built into the structure of
the existing offices.
Once those offices are demolished to make
way for the bypass, IFI will recover the stone again and bring
it to the new site where it will be on display for visitors to
experience.
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