A Narrative of the Industries of the Blind

A short walk from UNCG led us to a main thoroughfare with a modern brick building, clean with sleek lines, and sitting on a new paved parking lot.  Looking up at the building’s façade in large bold white letters reads: Industries of the Blind, INC.  A covered porch supported the entranceway to the building; decorated with a small garden in front, visitors descended down into the porch side entrances, from either stairs on one side, or a ramp with the other.  Inside the porch, between the stairs and the ramp, lay the visitor’s entrance doorway to the “Industries of the Blind.”

Immediately inside the doorways you arrive into a waiting area with several features.  On the far end of the room, mounted into the left wall, lays a sliding glass window reception, where you may announce your business.  While you’re waiting to be announced, a small, but comfortable, casual group seating arrangement, covered in deep velvet blue fabric, with matching ottoman, sits directly across from the reception window.  Joining the seating arrangement is an end table between the chairs, accompanied by a lamp and telephone.   As I turn around to take in the room, a gumball machine catches my eye, sitting right at the corner of the doorway.  Next to the gumball machine, and on the same side as the reception window is a doorway leading to a store, displaying its wares for the facility. Added touches to the room were; a decorative planter, welcome sign, assorted pictures, and a magazine rack.  The walls were painted off white with white trim.  The flooring was a non-distinctive industrial light brown carpet. 

Through controlled doors we entered into a pale muted yellow concrete stairwell, with a water flowing garden just to the right.  An interesting way to dress up a rather mundane stairwell, but seemingly out of place.  Focused artificial lighting was provided from 3 large globes, strategically placed for optimum results.  To the right of the garden is an elevator with bland color brown doors.  At the top of the stairs we arrive at another waiting area with its own sliding glass widow reception and casual group seating, a stripped sofa in a blue, gold, and magenta fabric, with two end tables and a lamp.  Across from the seating area are the elevator doors, with an oak cabinet to the left, and several plants circling around the room.  The flooring is an upgraded indoor/outdoor checkered 1-foot square layout with a subtle strip brown pattern, and matching trim.  Running off from this reception area in a right angle pattern are two corridors with 2-foot square acoustical tile containing florescent lights and central air vents.  Directly off the left corridor was a large conference room.  The conference room contained many amenities, and decorative touches.  An eye soothing beige and white wide stripped wall covering, finished with a wooden baseboard, cove crown molding and a chair rail dividing the wall with a flat wooden panel below the railing to the baseboard.  Added warmth is brought into the room with some oil canvas portraits.  Additional furnishings mounted on the walls include a wooden white board cabinet, large wooden display showcase cabinet containing prized products, and hand wash sprayers.  Additional features contained an overhead screen and projector, and a computer on a rollaway desk.  The conference chairs were extremely comfortable in a deep maroon leather fabric meeting up with 3 long wooden pattern tables joined together into one very long conference table.  Additional side chairs were accompanied along the walls for added seating capacity.  The acoustical ceiling tiles were an upgraded design made to appear as a 1-foot square coffered ceiling containing, central air vents, 1x2 florescent lights in the center of the room, and recessed lighting around the perimeter.  The flooring from the waiting area continued into the conference room with an added touch of a contrasting brown border around the room. 

We were warmly greeted by David Lopresti, president of the “Industries of the Blind,” giving us his undivided attention for our project.  He then proceeded to enthusiastically tell us about his business and the success they have at the “Industries of the Blind.”  He gave a great deal of credit to his workers, who have found second changes in life, earning a good living in a facility giving extra attention to accommodate their handicap.  Afterwards, he proudly took us on a tour of his facility highlighting many fine workers, their functions, and their contribution to the products they were creating.  Immediately you notice the cleanliness of the facility, the well-organized unit of industrious workers synced together in harmony.  As Mr. Lopresti introduced us to his workers, he shakes their hands, tells us their names, and begins to tell their own unique story of how they came to the “Industries for the Blind.”  Each unit makes a special piece of essential equipment for our service men.  When asked his workers what they do, they passionately proclaim, “We save lives!”