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Spotlight: Making the move to Autumn


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Ourania “April” Nikolaidis

hen Human Resources staff moved from the second floor of 333 Longwood Avenue to their new home on the first floor of 1 Autumn Street on June 1, it was one more step in the long process of purchasing an existing building and preparing it for new occupants.

Careful preparations began long before Children’s announced the agreement with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to purchase the Kennedy Building at 1 Autumn in September 2003. Lawyers and staff in Facilities Management and other departments met to evaluate every aspect of the building, including conditions of the physical plant, electric and plumbing systems, air quality, ventilation system, communication outlets and the possibility of any hazardous materials. “The information was then used in negotiating the price and ultimately buying the building,” says Craig Hughey, a project manager in Facilities.

Although the building is new to Children’s, it was previously occupied by BIDMC and naturally, a few renovations were necessary. “Just like anything you buy used—it’s going to need some updates and improvements,” says Hughey.

From installing utility meters to putting on a new roof, the six-story, 73,433 square-foot building underwent all kinds of changes. Rocks were vacuumed off the roof; internal walls were torn down, built and painted; Internet lines were installed; doors were hung; and work spaces were created.

Facilities staff also met with staff in departments that would need to service the building, such as Engineering, Media Services, Information Services and Parking, and worked to calculate initial and recurring costs of building use. Assignments were then made by evaluating and prioritizing the space for the best fit based on department needs.

Ourania “April” Nikolaidis, assistant in Learning and Development, was one of roughly 40 people in HR who made the move to 1 Autumn and says the move literally brought her team closer together. Previously spread over the second and sixth floors at 333 Longwood, they now have offices in the same wing. She packed more than ten boxes for her team and says, “Knowing how much stuff I had to move, I packed most of it two weeks in advance. The most important material I left for the last minute.” While the office is up and running smoothly, there are a few boxes waiting to be unpacked and other floors waiting for finishing touches.

The building is located at the corner of Longwood Ave and the Riverway, and on the Riverway side there is an interesting outdoor feature not to be over-looked. An enclosed and landscaped patio is accessible through the HR lobby and offers a great option for lunch breaks or special events. The Center for Families used the space this month to host the grand opening party for the Devon Nicole House (new patient family housing located at 21 Autumn Street). And although the rumor of a cafeteria is false, there is still hope for an Au Bon Pain cart like the one in the hospital’s Main Lobby to satisfy the need for a little munching.

Arlene Beauchemin, director, Learning and Development, is happy about the move and says, “It was a great opportunity to get rid of all the old junk and start new.”

 

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