ALEXANDRIA, VA — After 33 years in its current location, the Society of American Florists (SAF) is moving in mid-April to a new location, about two miles away.
The current location and 13,000-square foot building at 1601 Duke Street in Alexandria, Virginia, has served SAF since 1983, when SAF purchased the building. Just 7 years later, it was paid off thanks to the generosity of hundreds of industry members who contributed to the building fund campaign. Just as the forward-thinking board that made the decision to purchase the Duke Street property had predicted, SAF has watched its neighborhood transition from a warehouse district into a vibrant mixed-use area of the city.
With the new headquarters, also in a prime location in Alexandria, SAF will own 100 percent of a 9,000 square-foot office condo on the second floor of a six-story building that houses 22 other associations and non-profit organizations.
"The development of a once-derelict building in an unused part of town created both a wonderful working office and headquarters for these many decades and also a sound appreciating financial asset," said Martin Meskers, AAF, SAF President. "We are glad we can continue to leverage the wise decisions of that board more than three decades ago for the benefit and future of the association."
As the neighborhood has changed over the years, so have the staffing needs of SAF, which have evolved through both technology and right sizing. SAF's team is comprised of 18 employees, compared to 36 in 1983. The new headquarters provides more efficient office space to better match the needs of the organization costs and foster more collaboration through an open layout.
"While many of us feel a bit nostalgic about leaving the building we have called our work home for so many years — and one that has welcomed so many industry members through its doors — our new headquarters allows us to maximize our asset, provide a more efficient work environment for staff and demonstrate our commitment to serving members and the floral industry," said SAF CEO Peter J. Moran.
Former SAF Treasurer Dwight Larimer, AAF, PFCI, led the SAF Building Task Force, which also included SAF board member Paul Fowle, along with the full SAF executive committee: Peter J. Moran, CEO; Martin Meskers, AAF, president; Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, chairman; Chris Drummond, AAF, treasurer; and Bill LaFever, PFCI, president-elect.
The American Floral Endowment, which is housed in SAF headquarters, will also be moving to the new space.
Effective April 13, SAF's new address is:
1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 201
Alexandria, VA 22314
SAF's phone numbers will remain the same at the new headquarters. Phone service will be down on April 13 but the SAF staff will be working remotely, reachable via email and can retrieve voicemail messages. For a staff directory, visit safnow.org/staffdirectory.
The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services to its members, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organizations. The association was chartered by an act of Congress in 1884.
Source: Society of American Florists
