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Choice on the Move

April 2008

Stop the presses!  After more than forty years at 100 Riverview Center in Middletown, Connecticut, Choice is relocating.  To be sure, we aren’t going very far, about two blocks.  And we aren’t doing it right away as Liberty Square, the building we’re moving to, is just now under construction.  As of this writing, we’re expecting to take occupancy sometime in late 2008 or early 2009.  But the arrangements have been made, and now it’s just a matter of time.

This move represents the culmination of a three-year search initiated at ALA’s suggestion.  It is a particularly significant move because, for the first time, Choice is purchasing office space rather than renting.  Or, to be more accurate, ALA is purchasing the Liberty Square space for Choice.  Given the complexities of ALA organization, the complete story is a little complicated.  Suffice it to say here that ALA is the legal entity purchasing the property, while the funds being used are basically Choice’s.

None of this could have happened without the active support and cooperation of ACRL and ALA.  Each of the three units involved—ALA, ACRL, and Choice—brought one or more crucial assets to the table.  Choice’s contributions included solid financial reserves and boots on the ground to conduct what ultimately proved to be a lengthy search for suitable space.  Through it all, ACRL provided active encouragement, support, and leadership in matters large and small, including negotiation of the internal arrangements with ALA necessary to facilitate the purchase.  Likewise, ALA provided the vision and ultimately the legal and financial resources necessary for a sizable real estate purchase.  Acting alone, it is unlikely that Choice, ACRL, or ALA could have pulled off such a project, or would have had any incentive to do so.  Together, they accomplished it with style, making Liberty Square an example of ALA teamwork at its best.

And so it is that Choice will shortly be moving into a brand new, 7,600-square-foot office condominium occupying the entire top floor of the three-story Liberty Square building.  Located at the southwest corner of Liberty and Main streets in downtown Middletown, Liberty Square will house a natural food store on the first level, commercial office space on the second, and Choice on the top floor.  Built with environmental concerns in mind, Liberty Square will be ADA accessible, energy efficient, and spacious.

We are particularly delighted about the spacious part.  The new unit will provide more private offices and more space generally.  Of special note is a much-needed meeting/conference room with wireless Internet access.  For years, holding an all-staff at Choice has meant gathering everyone in the so-called main office area normally occupied by six staff members.  Picturesque and informal it is.  Convenient it is not.

To be sure, there is a lot of work to be done between now and the actual move, but we’ll do our best to keep you posted.  And once the deed is done, we hope you’ll stop by whenever you’re in the neighborhood.  You all come and see us now, you hear?—IER