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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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