In the News

New Café and Retail Shop Opens to the Public

New York, NY – Shawmut Design and Construction, located at 3 East 54th Street in New York City, has completed construction of Untitled, a new café and retail shop located inside the Whitney Museum of American Art. Untitled, designed by the visionary architectural firm Rockwell Group, is a 5,500 square foot space featuring a sleek and contemporary design that blends seamlessly into its modernist surroundings.

“Shawmut has a long history of overcoming complex construction challenges often associated with cultural and historic landmarks,” said William Hughes, President and COO. “We are proud to add the completion of Untitled to our list of accomplishments.”

During construction of Untitled, Shawmut used delicate mitigation techniques to minimize interference within the sensitive museum environment. Located directly above a refrigerated art storage facility, Shawmut used negative air machines to prevent dust debris from entering the museum. Disruptive activities, such as demolition, were also scheduled around the museum’s operating schedule. Deliveries to, and debris removal from, the job site were also made more difficult by its location on bustling Madison Avenue.

“Shawmut was the driving force behind the successful completion of Untitled at The Whitney,” said Richard Coraine, President of Union Square Hospitality Group. “The focus, care and competence they deliver is unmatched by any firm we have worked with. They approach every detail as if it were the most important element of the project and the ‘partner’ oriented approach they have always leaves you feeling as if you are working with family. To me, they are without peer in their industry.”

Untitled features stainless steel wall panels, white oak bar tops, and glossy modular seating which can be moved to create an open event space. The design also incorporates custom light fixtures which are miniature replicas of the iconic lights that adorn the Whitney Museum. The retail shop features interactive, touch-screen displays, custom-fabricated, blackened metal wall-mounted book shelves, and other custom stainless steel accents.

Untitled, which opened to the public in late March, was completed in less than four months with a project value of $500,000.