Back in the Office!

NACD staff returned to the office today, eager to get settled into their newly renovated “digs.” As with any major move, there are a few challenges getting settled back into our “second home.” Technology is wonderful when it works, but after literally moving all of it out of the office and back in for the renovations, it takes a while to work the kinks back out. We do not have phones today and we appreciate your patience. The contractors will be in and out this week taking care of minor issues, but overall, things look great!

(As you can see in the picture below, NACD Western Issues Specialist Ralph Thier is thrilled about the fresh paint, new carpet and double-pane windows in his office!)

More Heavy Lifting

Staff was back at the office early this morning, ready for another full day. It was a little overwhelming at times, but Krysta and Keira stayed all day with help in shifts from Arthur and Mary. They moved and unpacked boxes to make room for all the furniture to come into place.

At the end of the day, they were exhausted and had tired backs but were eager to be back in the office with the rest of the staff and to find a new sense of normal again! There are remaining issues that will have to be taken care of during the next couple of weeks as we settle back in.

Moving in, Come Hell or High Water!

The contractors worked until one in the morning last night trying to finish up all the final touches. This morning, movers and NACD staff braved the fury of the remnants of Hurricane Hanna in an effort to get NACD moved back into the office.

The company unloaded 3 of 11 trucks in pouring rain and ankle deep water. The storm drain in front of the building could not handle the amount of water coming during the hard down pours, resulting in a plea for help from Krysta to keep the basement from flooding. Water was standing in front of the building and coming over the sides of the walk during hard down pours. Jeremy Peters and his wife Emily came to the rescue, bringing 600 pounds of sand.

Krysta, Jeremy, Nicole and Emily worked hard to fill and stack sandbags to prevent water from spilling down the stairway and flooding the office’s lower level.

Good news…their efforts kept the water from coming down the stairs into the beautiful new basement and the rain subsided. The movers worked almost 4 hours but it was so slow going so they will be back tomorrow for a full day.

Finishing Up

Today was the final site visit with the 509 Capitol Court renovation team. During the four-week process, NACD CEO Krysta Harden met with the team to discuss progress and problems with the renovation project. Today's session was key to finalizing the project and last minute activities are well underway. Final inspections are scheduled for later today and the move into the building is planned for tomorrow....right on schedule.

The renovation team is pictured below on the new spiral staircase with Krysta. Members of the group include Christian Reinke, HITT Construction project manager, Willie Harling, HITT Construction site superintendent and Dan Curry, 3DG Architect and Design Group.

The renovation is moving right along...

Things are really taking shape! As of today, the spiral staircase is complete and in place. The staircase connects the bottom floor of the building to the main level and gives the bottom level a second exit (an important safety concern in case of emergency). Previously, the four staff members who worked in the bottom level had to physically exit the building, rain or shine, to access the main and upper levels. This change has solved a major safety and logistic issue.

Progress continues with the ceiling tiles are mostly in place; replacing broken and stained tiles and providing a clean and healthier environment. The building was also primed for painting tomorrow. The updated bathroom fixtures are currently being installed and the double pane windows should be in tomorrow.

We still expect to finalize the project on Friday, which is exactly on schedule and within Executive Board approved budget!!!

One week away from completion!

After a tour today and meeting with the contractor and architect teams, we are excited to report we are on schedule and within budget. While there have been a few unexpected hurdles to over come this week, things are progressing and the building is taking shape.

The pole for the spiral staircase between the lower and main levels is in place and the stairs will be added today, along with the railing. The HVAC is in and ceiling tiles will be installed over the weekend. Next week will bring the final stages: painting, carpeting, hanging new doors, installation of the new bathroom fixtures, replacement of the outside windows, etc.

Without an unforeseen complication the final inspection will be next Thursday with final touches and clean up on Friday. The move in will then take place next Saturday.

Thanks to all of you who have been so patient with this process. It has been trying at times but well worth the time, effort and expense.

We'll have more details next week.

What a difference a day can make

Today was a better day for the building renovations. There are still details to work through regarding the permitting process, but we expect to finalize those details tomorrow.





The double pane windows could not be installed today because of the rain and tomorrow seems unlikely, too. As a result, the window installation has been rescheduled for Tuesday. On a better note, the duct work is finished, so the ceiling tiles will be installed over the next few days, and we should have a new heating and cooling system by next Tuesday!I will be visiting the site in the morning and should have more details to share as well as pictures. The best news is that we are still on schedule for completion next Friday! Keep your fingers crossed that our luck holds!

A busy day at the office

It seems that no matter how prepared you are, there are always additional complications during constructions, especially in the District! We are pleased with the level of management support we are getting from our contractors who stay on top of all the issues and provide constant communication with us. However, there continue to be issues that must be dealt with almost constantly to keep the project moving ahead and on schedule. Today we had some bumps in the process due to the changing of requirements by the DC permitting office and new requirements by our third party inspector. The good news is all issues are being addressed (we believe) and we will remain on schedule and within our (contingency) budget. We feel confident the project is being done properly and we should not have lasting problems or future repercussions.

Making Progress

Hi folks. We’ve decided to use this blog to keep you up to speed on the progress on our building, and progress it is!

The staff finished packing loads of boxes on August 8. It’s incredible how much that office could hold! The movers loaded trucks over the weekend and construction—or deconstruction—began on August 11.

Since that time, it has been a flood of activity in the building from 6 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, six days a week. Demolition on the main floor is complete, and the new conference room and offices have been framed in. This week, the crew started on the spiral staircase—a major step.

For the most part, everything is going smoothly and the good news is we are on budget and on schedule!

We are still planning to be back up and running in our beautifully renovated office on Monday, September 8. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment on this post, call the main NACD office number or email one of the staff—we’re hard at work from a multitude of locations.