UPDATES—in order of most recent:

IFMA Open House

On Feb. 21, 2013, IFMA held an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for staff, board members and IFMA members at the new Service Center of Excellence. The event was broadcast via live stream for participants who could not physically attend the event. The festivities began with a ribbon cutting ceremony and was then followed by remarks from IFMA Chair Marc S. Liciardello, Thomas Mitchell of the IFMA HQ Workplace Steering Committee and IFMA President and CEO Tony Keane. Lunch was then provided and individual tours of the workspace were given to the visitors. If you were unable to attend the event, video of the ribbon cutting ceremony, open remarks and photos can be found on the IFMA Open House webcast page.

We’ve moved!

Since the last week of December 2012, IFMA headquarters, now officially renamed the Houston Service Center of Excellence, has relocated to 800 Gessner Rd., Suite 900, Houston, Texas, USA 77024-4257. We would like to extend great thanks to all of our members, staff and vendors who have supported the association during this extensive, yet enriching process. Want more details? We invite you to take a look at the workplace strategy behind our new collaborative work environment. IFMA looks forward to welcoming each of you to its new home!

Construction is underway

The construction process for IFMA’s new Service Center of Excellence facility is now underway at full speed. Below you can find pictures of the construction site progress — stay tuned for the most updated posts:

• Construction progress – 1-16-2013
• Construction progress – 12-21-2012
• Construction progress – 12-19-2012
• Construction progress – 12-12-2012
• Construction progress – 12-05-2012
• Construction progress – 11-07-2012
• Construction progress – 10-31-2012

Change management

As the workplace project progresses into the site selection and design phases of the project, DEGW is in full implementation of the change management process with the IFMA staff and leadership. Following a kick-off meeting with the IFMA management team in May, a town hall meeting was conducted with the IFMA staff to launch the full change management process. At the town hall, staff participated in a gallery walk through where each phase of the relocation was discussed in detail. The meeting was divided into three discussion areas: relocation goals and opportunities; workplace research; and the path forward. The majority of the town hall was dedicated to a question and answer session between staff and the leadership and vendor teams.

The process includes four workshops addressing various processes and protocols detailed in the workplace strategic brief and encompassed in the design of the new service center. Each workshop is focusing on a specific set of topics: workshop one — space protocols; workshop two — storage and document management; workshop three — new work practices; and workshop four — technology.

Project design

Perkins+Will (P+W) conducted several visioning sessions with the project team based on the vision set forth in the workplace strategic brief. From these sessions P+W launched the furniture RFQ/RFP process and finalized the design guidelines that will be utilized in the Houston Center of Excellence. IFMA staff participated in showroom tours and chair testing. After a series of thorough furniture specification meetings and presentations, furniture selection was completed and orders were placed.

Following site selection, P+W began the test fit process and launched the RFP process for general contractor, AV and technology services. All three have been secured and the different teams are now working collaboratively and in full implementation phase mode.

Site selection

Based on the requirements set forth in the workplace strategic brief, a set of required and desirable criterion were developed  by the project team for use in the site selection process by Jones Lange LaSalle (JLL). Beginning with an initial eligible building list of more than 250 buildings in the Houston area, JLL and the project team were able to narrow the final potential location list to 15 buildings for site visits. Over a two day period, the JLL and IFMA project team visited all 15 sites, narrowing the list to a short list of 6 locations. Following extensive meetings with the project team, and additional site visits, the list was reduced to three finalists. After thorough considerations following by intensive rounds of negotiations, IFMA executed its new lease agreement with Memorial City Towers, Ltd. for 11,690 RSF on the ninth 9^th floor of 800 Gessner, Suite 900, Houston, Texas 77024.

IFMA on the Move

With the launch of IFMA’s new fiscal year on July 1, 2012, Marc Liciardello began his service as the chair of the board of directors. With Marc’s transition, Thomas Mitchell assumed the role of chair of the HQ Steering Committee. Marc will continue to serve as a member of the Steering Committee.

Professional services

IFMA has engaged the services of Jones Lang LaSalle as its real estate broker. JLL is responsible for assisting IFMA in selecting and negotiating the most cost effective and functionally efficient office space to support the vision of the headquarters function.

IFMA has also contracted Perkins + Will to manage and administer architecture interior design and engineering services for the project. They are working with DEGW to translate the workplace strategy into a design that supports IFMA's vision for how the future headquarters will function.

Workplace strategy

The HQ Steering Committee has been working closely with DEGW to create a new workplace strategy for IFMA. This strategy aligns the expectations of the members and the board of director's leadership goals and strategic vision.

Observational/time utilization study

For 10 days, a study of the IFMA space was conducted as part of a comprehensive evaluation to better understand current patterns of space use.

Employee survey

Employee focus groups were conducted with a cross-section of employees from across IFMA departments. An array of activities were used to understand current work patterns, opportunities as well as articulate future workplace ideas.

Leadership interviews

Interviews were conducted with key IFMA departmental managers and HQ Project Steering Committee members. The interviews’ objective was to provide DEGW with a high-level understanding of how departments within IFMA currently operate, as well as their vision for future work.

Member survey

An email-based member survey on the future of the IFMA workplace was sent to all members to allow them to participate in this process and share their expertise/vision. View the survey summary from the more than 650 respondents. The pictures on the survey image gallery depict future workplace imagery submitted by survey participants.

*For more details refer to the "IFMA Headquarters Workplace Project Update" Nov./Dec. FMJ article.