Nordstrom’s Future New York Store is an Eyecatcher

By Ioana Neamt, Associate Editor

Nordstrom Manhattan Flagship Store, Glass Waveforms Facade at Night, West 57th St., New York

New York—Seattle-based upscale fashion retailer Nordstrom Inc. has recently unveiled the plans for its first store in New York City.

The approximately 363,000-square-foot store is expected to open in 2019 and encompass four properties in the Columbus Circle neighborhood of Manhattan. The store’s footprint will include both existing historic buildings as well as a new construction at the base of Extell Development Co.’s supertall Central Park Tower.

“We’re building in the context of the world’s greatest stores in the best retail city in the world and our ambition is to create an entire experience that reflects the best of what we have to offer,” Pete Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom, said in prepared remarks. “We think the modern exterior glass design combined with the historical renovations honor both the past and future of Manhattan.”

Nordstrom’s footprint will include:

• Central Park Tower – The retailer will occupy approximately 292,000 square feet across seven stories at the base of the tower developed by Extell Development. Upon completion, the tower is expected to become the second largest building in the city—and the country. The Tower portion also incorporates the landmark façade of the former 1780 Broadway building, which will undergo a complete makeover.
• 5 Columbus Circle – Formerly the 1790 Broadway building, this section is owned by 1790 Broadway Associates. Nordstrom will occupy roughly 8,000 square feet of street-level retail space and rebuild the street-level façade of the landmark building to evoke its historic design.
• 1776 Broadway – Sitting at the corner of W. 57th St. and Broadway, the property is owned by ULM Holding Corp. Nordstrom will occupy approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space across four floors at the site.
• 3 Columbus Circle – Owned by SL Green and The Moinian Group, the roughly 43,000-square-foot portion will be the location of the Nordstrom Men’s store.

In order to create a unified shopping experience, the interiors of Central Park Tower, 5 Columbus Circle and 1776 Broadway will be connected.

Nordstrom’s flagship Manhattan store will also incorporate a unique, glass-clad design created to catch light as it strikes through the east-west axis of West 57th and West 58th Streets. The wave-shaped facades will be created by Italy-based Permasteelisa, in collaboration with Cricursa of Barcelona, Spain. CallisonRTKL is in charge of restoration and rebuilding design work for the buildings’ façades.

“When creating the store’s identity we considered the human experience from both the inside and out,” Dawn Clark, vice-president of store design and architecture for Nordstrom, stated. “In this amazing city of art, culture and fashion, we hoped to create a design that amplifies New York City’s creative energy.”