Prestigious school saves 13% on relocation

Founded in 1628, The Collegiate School in New York City wasn’t even technically part of the United States when it opened its doors – it was originally a product of the flourishing Dutch colony of New Amsterdam.Challenge

Founded in 1628, The Collegiate School in New York City wasn’t even technically part of the United States when it opened its doors – it was originally a product of the flourishing Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. From its original location south of Canal Street, the school has flown two different flags and changed locations 16 times over the last four centuries.

In 2013, it was announced that the elite K-12 all-boys school would once again pick up and move in order to expand from the three interconnected buildings it held in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York. The relocation was announced to a lot of media coverage and alumni interest, as the school had been in that building on the southern tip of Manhattan for 125 years.

The school opted for a new build that could be constructed to suit the needs of the institution as well as the 650 students currently enrolled. A company was needed to move 120,000 square feet of school furniture, electronics, books, memorabilia and supplies into the new 180,000 square foot space 10 blocks away.

The process was done under close watch from the public, alumni, trustees and currently enrolled students to execute this move both properly and on a four-week timeline.

The move was set to occur over an extended winter break. The crew would have to stick to a strict schedule so that the school would be prepared for returning students and needed to keep that schedule in the throes of an inclement and unpredictable New York winter.

Another constraint of the tight timeline was that the team would need to work around construction and installation as the final elements were coming together. As the final step of the process, any delays would have to be made up in during the move.

Suddath^® was chosen over cheaper bids because its team gave a detailed move plan alongside a demonstrated expertise and skill level that would allow the move to adhere to the tight timeline. The company also highlighted a willingness to double up on work in the face of unforeseen delays in order to keep on schedule.

Solution

Unforeseen delays were exactly what happened when construction backups occurred. When able to begin the move, a recent bad snowstorm meant that Suddath crewmembers came prepared with snow shovels in hand to make up time by quickly carving out safe paths to the trucks as snow piled up outside.

Snow safety was especially important as the crew protected and successfully moved the school’s music room, which included three baby grand pianos, four upright pianos and six digital keyboards. Neither location had a loading dock, so the crew had to navigate these large items through bustling New York City streets.

Results

The Collegiate School’s motto is: Eendracht Maakt Macht, which is Dutch for, ‘In unity there is strength.’

As a commercial moving partner for the school, this sentiment was taken to heart. Through communication efforts from the single point of contact on the project, and the fortitude of the crew in the middle of a difficult winter, students were able to start back at school on January 12 as planned.

As well as being on-time, the project was also delivered under budget, as Suddath was also able to save the school 13% off the original quote through the effective planning and scheduling.