SAF Moves To New Headquarters

After 33 years in its current location, SAF is moving 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 it was purchased in 1983. Just seven 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.

Thanks to the foresight of our previous board, we've had a fantastic headquarters and a sound appreciating financial asset for more than 30 years. Now, we can leverage those wise decisions 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 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.

Former SAF Treasurer Dwight Larimer, AAF, PFCI, led the SAF Building Taskforce, which also included SAF board member Paul Fowle, along with the full SAF executive committee: Martin Meskers, AAF, president; Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, chairman; Chris Drummond, AAF, treasurer; Bill LaFever, PFCI, president-elect; and myself.

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 reachable via email and can retrieve voicemail messages.

For a staff directory, visit safnow.org/staffdirectory.