In a new series called “Spotlight On,” KPA will highlight some of the most desirable hot spots in the retail architecture world. These are the streets and neighborhoods where retailers are vying for space and where our retail projects are increasingly located. The first location to get the royal treatment is Brookfield Place in New York City’s Financial District.
[vc_row][vc_column width=’1/2′]
The new financial district
In November, the Real Estate Board of New York released its Fall 2015 Retail Report, where it announced that rents in the Financial District had jumped significantly while those in traditional retail corridors like Columbus Circle, Fifth Avenue, Herald Square, and SoHo had experienced a drop. This will come as no surprise to anyone who’s been keeping an eye on the hectic architectural and real estate activity downtown, most of which has been focused on Brookfield Place and Westfield’s World Trade Center. In addition to these two “malls,” retailers like Bloomingdale’s, Anthropologie, and Urban Outfitters are also planning to set up shop in the area. And, further east, the Howard Hughes Corporation’s South Street Seaport is home to a crop of independent designers with buzz as well as retailers with established cachet. This will increasingly be the spot to be as Pier 17 and the accompanying 300,000 SF of retail is set to be completed in 2017, now that the building has received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. All this shows that downtown New York below Chambers Street is absolutely popping in the retail sector.
[/vc_column][vc_column width=’1/2′]
kpa x brookfield place
Westfield WTC, topped by the eye-catching Oculus, and Brookfield Place are part of the resurgence of lower Manhattan as not only a business and financial behemoth, but increasingly a commercial and transportation hub. Within this retail and architectural landscape, Brookfield occupies a unique position as a high-end luxury emporium for a diverse set of brands. After years of construction and a new glass pavilion, Brookfield Place officially opened in spring of 2015. KPA worked on two of the retail spaces at Brookfield: the Diane von Furstenberg and Salvatore Ferragamo stores. Below, we’ll be look more closely at the two locations. KPA provides architectural and project management services for Diane von Furstenberg and architectural services for Ferragamo.
[/vc_column][/vc_row]
KPA x Diane von Furstenberg
The 1,957 SF DVF store at Brookfield is a continuation of the newly introduced design concept, where white interiors are accentuated by pops of color and graphic prints. The central space features a recessed shop-in-shop that is dedicated to the wrap dress and leads to the fitting rooms. Black, white, and hot pink fixtures display merchandise and a Swarovski crystal-encrusted chandelier rounds out the interior jet-set aesthetic.
KPA x Salvatore Ferragamo
At 4,250 SF, the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique at Brookfield Place is an iteration of the newest retail concept at the brand’s latest New York City presence. The exterior façade juxtaposes a textured gray metal with horizontal light boxes. The interior is modern and in a neutral color palette with wood, metal and glass finishes. KPA provided AOR services for this location, among others.