Article Number : 6711 |
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| Date | 6/17/2011 9:13:05 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=6711 |
| Abstract | DALTON—For 40 years, the Carpet & Rug Institute called the 15,506-square-foot building at 730 College Drive here home. Come 2012, though, the organization will move into a city-owned building after its board voted to... |
| Article | DALTON—For 40 years, the Carpet & Rug Institute called the 15,506-square-foot building at 730 College Drive here home. Come 2012, though, the organization will move into a city-owned building after its board voted to sell the building to neighboring Dalton State College for a undisclosed amount. Built in 1971 and designed by Derthick and Henley Architects of Chattanooga, Tenn., the building was constructed specifically to be CRI’s headquarters. The facilty’s opening was such a big deal that Georgia governor and future U.S. president Jimmy Carter, along with Jenny Lynn Andrews, Miss Georgia 1971, were in attendance to cut the ribbon. Back then the spacious building was a blessing as the category was in a high-profile battle to protect its reputation and products from claims that carpet was harmful to humans. It was also early in the industry’s consolidation rush, meaning there were still over 300 carpet mills operating in the area. While the industry continues to fight misperceptions about carpet and its affect on indoor air quality, the battle is not nearly as intense as it was in the early ’70s. There are also less than one-third of the mills from back then. So, 40 years later, there is no longer a need for such a large building. “We have a lot of space here, a lot more than we need for the number of people that we have,” Werner Braun, CRI’s president, told the Dalton Citizen. “Being able to move into a building that is more right-sized for the number of folks we have, we’ll reduce our environmental footprint and in addition to that, it will reduce our energy costs— [two things the industry as a whole has focused on].” CRI’s new headquarters will be at 100 Hamilton St., which served as Dalton’s post office from 1909 to 1966 and was Dalton Public Schools’ central office from 1967 until March 2010, when it was exchanged with the city for land it plans to develop in the future. Braun said the move will also help the city in general because of where the building is located. “My personal interest in this is to help in the spirit of continuing to revitalize the downtown area. CRI has a lot of meetings every week that will bring people downtown.” As an example, he noted the organization has “quite a few luncheon meetings and would certainly give an opportunity to the food services people downtown to cater them.” For more , call 706.278.3176. |