Expansion plans turn to Shawmut for construction of 5th Avenue landmark store
New York, NY—December 3, 2008—Juicy Couture, one of Liz Claiborne’s leading brands, has unveiled their largest flagship to date in partnership with Shawmut Design and Construction (www.shawmut.com), a leading national construction management firm. Along with architect Perkins Eastman and designer Commune, Juicy turned to Shawmut due to its reputation as the premier builder in high-end, New York City flagships. This fabulous Fifth Avenue location features a two-story manor wall and spectacular monumental staircase, and was completed through numerous challenges on a compressed schedule.
Within the three-story, 17,000 sf flagship, the project team constructed a whimsical English manor-themed environment for the Juicy Couture brand of contemporary apparel. A two-story manor wall towers 34 feet, built over a steel substructure with carved limestone cladding. The wall’s balconies, with custom onyx bases, display Juicy’s clothing mannequins. The store’s focal point is a monumental staircase, a custom made design/build piece which involved special railings designed in conjunction with Juicy. The project team fabricated the staircase’s steel structure, installing custom-made precast treads, risers, skirts and custom fiberglass reinforced gypsum panels underneath. New poured concrete floors received just enough polish to create a funky, distressed, warehouse feel, and extensive lighting packages added ambience, fitted into ceilings and painted to match. Intricate fitting rooms contain custom wood paneling, custom plaster ceilings, and elaborate chandeliers. The project team collaborated with multiple vendors, including Mexican-sourced glass and stone from a Kansas quarry.
“Shawmut is honored to begin its relationship with Juicy/Liz Claiborne with this new flagship,” said Les Hiscoe, Shawmut’s Vice President of Retail. “The project team’s careful management of the site’s tough logistics not only ensured that the store turned out beautiful but that the project was a safe one as well.”
The greatest challenge involved removing an existing escalator centrally located through a common area and directly above an operational café. Through accelerated off-hours work, the project team was able to avoid any interruptions to the café. Due to the size of the equipment, the team cut and removed the escalator piece-by-piece. Scope also included installation of a new elevator, new HVAC and electric systems, and modification of existing sprinklers.
Safety measures didn’t stop with ambitious scheduling, however. The resulting openings from the stairway relocation presented safety hazards that were easily avoided by swift attention and innovative solutions. A temporary structure of plywood and steel protected all the landlord’s existing finishes through the lobby.
Phase II work is set to begin soon on a 52nd Street façade for Juicy. Other Shawmut retail projects decorating the New York City shopping landscape include Apple, Anne Fontaine, Burberry, Chanel, Chopard, Graff, Gucci, Longchamp, Louis Vuitton, Moschino, Tom Ford, and Ermenegildo Zegna.
About Shawmut Design and Construction
Shawmut Design and Construction is a 100% employee-owned company headquartered in Boston with offices in New York, Providence, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and New Haven. Shawmut is a leading ENR top 100-ranked national construction management firm providing client-oriented services in the following markets: Academic, Commercial, Corporate Interiors, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Healthcare and Science, Gaming, Restaurants, Retail, Spas and Health Clubs. For more information, visit Shawmut’s website at www.shawmut.com.
