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The sky was a flawless blue as U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with county and city dignitaries, joined ASHA on April 19 to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new ASHA headquarters in Rockville, MD, eight miles north of its current location in the same city. The new office is slated to open in fall 2007.
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(L-R) Mary Jo Schill, ASHA Vice President
for Administration and Planning;
Noma B. Anderson, ASHA President Elect;
Dolores E. Battle, ASHA Past President;
Alex Johnson, ASHA President;
Arlene Pietranton, ASHA Executive
Director; Councilmember Susan Hoffmann,
City of Rockville; Representative
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), U.S. House of
Representatives from Maryland's 8th
Congressional District; Scott Riley,
Assistant Chief Administrative Officer,
Montgomery County.
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"This will be a world-class facility for a world-class organization," said Rep. Van Hollen, who has worked with ASHA on several key policy issues.
The ceremony kicked off construction of the new five-story "green" building, which totals nearly 150,000 square feet and hopes to achieve the prestigious Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification.
"This will be a great new center for members," ASHA President Alex Johnson said. "The new headquarters will provide us with the cost efficiencies and space to better serve them for a long, long time."
ASHA's move, its first in 25 years and its fifth since its inception in 1925, reflects the continued growth of the professions and the Association. With more than 123,000 members and a staff of 225, the new facility represents another move forward and a wise financial investment in keeping with past tradition in the Washington, DC area.
When the National Office moved to its present site at the corner of Rockville Pike and Strathmore Avenue in 1981, membership stood at 36,000. In less than 10 years the membership nearly doubled, and the building was expanded. But now ASHA has outgrown its current office; the science and research unit now rents space nearby.
Officials from Montgomery County and the City of Rockville praised ASHA, which has contributed to the community since 1966. ASHA's community outreach has included a school mentoring program; regular road cleaning; support of several charitable organizations; a telecommuting program that mitigates local traffic; and its national and regional selection as a "Great Place to Work."
ASHA Executive Director Arlene Pietranton said that the "neighborliness" for which the organization is known locally will have an added dimension once the building is open.
"The entire fifth floor of our new headquarters will be available for lease," Pietranton explained.
ASHA's new building was designed by the architectural firm of Boggs & Partners and will be built by James G. Davis Construction Corp. The total cost involved (including the new building and property, and the complete outfitting and furnishing of the new headquarters) is $48 million.
Proceeds from the sale of ASHA's 18-acre property will substantially pay for the new state-of-the-art headquarters. Private homes will be built on ASHA's current site.
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