Case Study: Christie’s
Project: Star Trek Auction
Scope: A three-part project consisting of the organizing, viewing, and post-sale delivery of a multi-million dollar inventory of Star Trek memorabilia from the archives of CBS and Paramount Studios. Items included spacecraft models, set pieces, costumes, and prop weapons. In total, the memorabilia spanned over 1,000 auction lots and numbered approximately 4,000 pieces.
Client: Christie’s
Challenge: This was a project of significant magnitude that required attention to detail, precise inventory management, over 10,000 square feet of dedicated and secure warehouse space, and extreme care in handling fragile inventory. Packing was done according to rigorous Christie’s standards. The moving team faced logistical challenges when eight tractor-trailer loads moved in and out of Rockefeller Plaza while preparations were also being made for The Today Show and the MTV Music Awards. Post-sale efforts required that extremely delicate and expensive memorabilia be delivered to buyers all over the world. More than 70 employees would be required.
Results: “Their high level of logistics experience and dedication to quality was noticed from the very first meeting. Moreover, Advance successfully sustains that quality level throughout the entire project. True professionalism.”
Roxanna Zarnegar,
Deputy C.O.O. and VP, International Director at Christie’s.
Case Study: Duke-Semans Mansion
Project: Duke-Semans Mansion
Scope: Relocate 600 items from the historic Duke-Semans Mansion on Fifth Avenue, New York City to a storage location while the mansion undergoes construction.
Client: The Sapir Organization
Challenge: The move involved high-priced and delicate antiques primarily from the fifteenth and sixteenth century that were spread over five floors. Each item had to be individually assessed and custom-packaged. Additionally, the mansion, an historic site built in 1901 and considered one of the most beautiful examples of Beaux Arts residential architecture in the city, had to be protected from any damage. Compounding the difficulty was a small elevator that required large pieces to be physically transported down four flights of stairs in a building not designed for this effort.
Results: “It was clear that the Advance team was experienced and understood the challenge. They had a strategy coming in to the move, and they executed it successfully. They used special materials to safely move our collection, and it was clear that they used extreme care through the entire process. The project went smoothly, and we look forward to having Advance move the collection back to the mansion after the museum is finished.”
Armon Ginelli,
General Manager of the property
Case Study: Alliance Bernstein
Project: Alliance Capital Management LP
Scope: Deliver and install thousands of pieces of furniture at the corporate headquarters in New York City.
Client: Alliance Bernstein
Challenge: Coordinate efforts on five floors under a compressed time schedule while working with many types of furniture from various manufacturers. The entire project included approximately:
- 220 Steelcase Montage Workstations
- 140 Neiderkamp Private Offices
- 50 Thrasher Private Offices
- 300 Meridian File Cabinets
- 160 Steelcase File Cabinets
- 1650 Chairs (various manufacturers)
- 200 Custom-Installed Tables
Result: “The performance of FITCO’s team of professionals on the warehousing and furniture installation was excellent. We were impressed with the skill and knowledge of project managers, installers and delivery personnel.”
Tom Rubin,
Project Manager for Ferguson Cox
FDA Laboratories
Project: FDA Northeast Regional Laboratories
Scope: Relocate 600,000 square feet of laboratory equipment, fixtures, and furniture
Client: Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Challenge: Transfer 227 truckloads of furniture, fixtures, and equipment including hazardous materials and delicate items such as refrigerated research specimens.
Results: The project was completed in one month without disturbing everyday business activity.
