03-PRA-005

Communication Planning: Moorhead Lobby Renovation

Department of Homeland Security

U.S. General Services Administration

The William S. Moorhead Federal Building in Pittsburgh, PA, was built in
1962 and is owned and managed by GSA. The facility provides a workplace
for more than 2,500 Federal employees in approximately 50 Federal
agencies. A 1997 survey of building tenants revealed only 73 percent of
Moorhead tenants were satisfied with GSA services compared to a GSA
average of 82 percent in the region. The vacancy rate in the facility
was 12.6 percent. GSA was in the midst of long-range planning for a
complete modernization of the facility, including modernization of
building systems and a complete renovation of interior spaces, to begin
in 2004.

The modernization would likely increase customer satisfaction in the
facility, but the project wouldn't be completed until 2008. GSA's plan
was to phase the work so it could be completed while the facility
remained occupied. With customer satisfaction decreasing in the building
and agencies looking ahead to the major modernization, GSA feared
agencies would begin to leave the Federal building for leased space,
leaving GSA with a fully modernized, but half empty Federal building in
2008. The question was how to gain the trust and confidence of the
Moorhead tenant agencies that GSA would manage construction work in the
facility with tenants' best interests in mind, minimizing disruption to
the largest extent possible, and in the end provide a much improved
workplace.

At the same time, GSA was struggling with a nationwide dilemma in its
Federal buildings. Many buildings were not designed to accommodate new
security requirements and equipment instituted following the 1995
bombing in Oklahoma City. Tenants and visitors were greeted by a
profusion of signs spelling out various prohibitions and immediately
confronted with security devices. Many entries failed to provide clear
directions. Various signs on wobbly easels and notices taped to walls
did not give a professional appearance. Federal building lobbies were
clean, but cluttered, intimidating, dreary in appearance, and in essence
they undercut Federal agency tenants\' efforts to serve their customers.

These same entries were often where the citizens got their first
impression of the Federal government. GSA contracted with Gensler &
Associates to survey public areas in Federal buildings across the nation
and identify opportunities for improved first impressions. Only 65
percent of Moorhead tenants were satisfied with the attractiveness of
the building and office environment and only 66 percent were satisfied
with the attractiveness of common and public areas of the facility.

GSA set funding aside to renovate the entrance and lobby of the Moorhead
Federal Building. The project would serve as a precursor to the larger
modernization project. GSA needed to manage this renovation well in
order to achieve its long-range goal of maintaining occupancy and
reducing the vacancy rate upon completion of the larger modernization.

The GSA project team implemented a communication plan for the lobby
renovation. The goal of its communication efforts was to involve tenants
in the renovation plans, ensure their improved satisfaction with the
appearance of the facility, and build trust and confidence in GSA to
manage renovation work in the facility and communicate with them during
the process.

As a result of the lobby renovation, a Gallup survey showed the Moorhead
tenants' satisfaction with the building and office environment
attractiveness increased from 65 percent to 87 percent and the
attractiveness of the common and public spaces increased from 66 percent
to 83 percent.

During the lobby renovation, the Moorhead tenants' satisfaction with:

-   Follow-up communication increased from 79 percent to 91 percent

-   Effectiveness of communication increased from 81 percent to 91
    percent

-   GSA's flexibility increased from 83 percent to 92 percent

-   GSA's responsiveness increased from 84 percent to 92 percent

-   Ease of doing business with GSA increased from 84 percent to 92
    percent

GSA is now heading into the major modernization project with a 12.6
percent vacancy rate and based on discussions with tenants is projecting
to decrease that to 6.5 percent upon completion of the major
modernization.

**For more information, contact Ms. Gina M. Waring at 215-446-2895 or
via e-mail at gina.waring@gsa.gov**