It’s been a long time coming! After years of searching and negotiations, GreenSweep has recently purchased a facility to house its growing landscaping operation. We are thrilled! For more about the new headquarters, let’s hear from GreenSweep President, Kyle Narsavage:
Q: Why did you begin the search for a facility?
It has been my dream to own a shop since I started mowing grass at seven years old. Previously, we had a separate shop and office space so there felt like a disconnect. We had field employees reporting to one location where our trucks, equipment, materials, etc. were stored and office employees worked out of a separate space. Our field managers floated between the two locations. I knew it wouldn’t be too long before we outgrew both spaces and I needed to bridge the gap between the field and business operations. We needed to streamline communications to help operations run more smoothly and efficiently. I wanted both sides of the business to be under one roof. We are one team and we deserved a single place to call home.
Q: What were the top three must-haves in your search?
Size & Functionality. GreenSweep needed a forever home. After renting shop space for over a decade it was time to really put down roots. I wanted to find a space to house our operation at its current size plus room to grow. The goal all along was to find more than just raw land. While raw land is completely customizable, the challenges which come with that, even basics like getting water and electricity to the site, were more than I wanted to bite off and could potentially be more time-consuming. I wanted to find a place that already had structures in place to use as an office and a separate garage on an already cleared lot. We looked at industrial gravel lots, warehouse buildings, and farms, but fortunately we found a space that already housed a landscaping operation. We have ample space for our trucks, equipment, and materials plus a garage space to have a better set-up for in-house maintenance and repairs. Both the shop/yard space and the office have room to expand. If we experience more substantial growth it will likely come in the form of a second branch within the region so this facility will always remain GreenSweep’s headquarters.
Location. Our core business has always been in Montgomery County and the metro areas surrounding DC and Baltimore. I wanted to ensure crews would still have manageable commutes to job sites and since traffic is notoriously bad in our area so access to major roads was vital. We also have a strong network of landscape supply vendors and it was important to be able to keep those intact. I also considered our employees during the property search. Labor is a challenge in this industry and most of our employees have been with us for over 5 years. If we could swing it, I wanted to try to minimize an increase to employee commutes to and from work each day. Fortunately the new space is less than four miles from where we used to be.
Proper Zoning. Regulations can make it extremely difficult for a landscape contractor to own a property. I wanted to go about this in the right way so it was imperative to make sure everything was in line. We did due diligence communicating with the right people and researching to understand the zoning. We wanted to know any limitations up front so we could prepare a plan to overcome them. Zoning was an area in which we needed to be fully confident.
Q: How long did it take to close the deal?
I spent several years looking for the right spot. Once we found our new facility, there were still a lot of hurdles to overcome. We had to deal with the existing landscaping operation, zoning, inspections, the list goes on and on. It was about three and a half years from our initial conversations, but about a year of serious negotiations and paperwork before everything was approved and signed off. The longest part of the process was that due diligence regarding the zoning regulations. Since the process involved the property and the acquisition of a company it was even more difficult.
Q: What advice would you give to others looking for a facility?
Start early and be patient. Surround yourself with experts. Know your priorities. The process to find a facility can be drawn-out. Start searching before you outgrow your current space. Even if you’re not sure if you can make something happy it doesn’t hurt to start looking! Get in touch with you local banks to find out where you stand financially and if the goal and need for a facility is there figure out a plan to make it happen. If you don’t have them already, make sure to have a team of experts – accountants, lawyers, real estate professionals – who can provide assistance along the way. I’m a landscape professional, not any of those other things so I made sure to have a team of people to rely on to provide clarity during the process. You have to do your homework and having other experts to investigate things like zoning, noise, and environmental regulations is huge. The last thing you want is to agree on a price and have a handshake deal and then come to find out you are not complying with local or state regulations. And know your priorities – come with a need-to-have vs. nice-to-have list so you can more clearly evaluate when you find potential spaces without judgement getting clouded by outside opinions, bells and whistles, etc. Most of all be patient and follow the process – it’s worth it in the end!
Q: What are you most looking forward to about the new place?
Building our company culture. It was vital for me to have the entire team in one location. Being split up in two location and now in one space for a few months we are already seeing better teamwork and communication. No matter the role you play in the company from an office admin to a crew leader, we are all rowing the boat towards the same goal! RTB!
Our new facility sits on over four acres with multiple buildings. We were able to reconfigure the outdoor space to adequately house all of our trucks, trailers, and equipment. The office spaces are set up well for our current staff with room to grow. We have plenty of plans for site improvements in addition to all that we completed prior to moving in, but slow and steady wins the race. So much potential exists on this property and we are excited to call it home. Stay tuned for more photos and videos to see the exciting things we do in the new space. Be sure to follow us on social media {Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn} for more updates.
