Project Information

Description of Entry

For their first foray into the urban scene, Charming Charlie not only wanted to build a following of fashion-savvy clients in New York City but also shape a strong presence in the region, all while delivering on their mission to provide chic, effortless style and incredible value.

The design team incorporated various aspects of Charming Charlie’s shopping center concept into the flagship such as the carpet pattern, chain-link wall covering, sputnik chandeliers, and their signature blue handbag wall. Herringbone-patterned flooring, custom pink Tibetan lambskin chairs and a curved blue velvet sofa, and specifically-curated artwork were added to create a New York appeal. A feature staircase, strategically designed to draw customers to the second floor, is accented by wall coverings that periodically change, signifying new merchandise offerings.

To organize the store, the design team kept the traditional organization of grouping products by color, then used a layering strategy. The wall displays act as a backdrop to the rest of the accessories and jewelry within each color zone, and the sputnik chandeliers are used to demarcate every color zone. With displays boasting upwards of 1000 SKUs per color block, the amount of product in-store could be overwhelming if not organized correctly. The landscape of colorful vignettes are juxtaposed against a bright white, neutral backdrop to minimize visual noise. There is also a clear navigational path so customers can easily find their way to each color without the additional visual noise of signage.

Shopping Center Information

Type of Project

Other

Physical Characteristics of Project

Other

Total Acreage of Site

Total Acreage of Site

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference: plus or (minus)	Number of Levels

 

Other Uses: Office

Other Uses: Hotel

Other Uses: Residential

Other Uses: Residential

Other Uses

Other Uses

Trade Area/Cachement Area Information

Project Trade Area

Population of Primary Trade Area	Population of Secondary Trade Area	Annualized percentage of shoppers anticipated being from outside of trade area (e.g., tourists, conventioneers)

Retail Information

Total Retail Space

Total Acreage of Site

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference-Plus or (minus)

Gross Leasable Area (small shop excluding anchors)

Gross Leasable Area (small shop excluding anchors)

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference-Plus or (minus)	Total Number of Retail Stores (excluding anchors)

 

Total Number of Retail Stores (including anchors)

Major Tenants

Parking Information

Number of Parking Spaces Provided

Deck Parking

If deck parking, list vehicle capacity and number of levels of parking structure and briefly describe how structure connects to center.

How many parking space are required by code?

 

Development Schedule

Original Project Opening Date

Official Project Opening Date

Current renovation expansion opening date

Professional Recognition

Development Company

Owner

Production or Executive Architect

Graphic Designer

Lighting Designer

Landscape Architect

General Contractor

Management Company

Finance Company

Summary

Entry Summary

Describe the characteristics of the project you are submitting for an award. 

In what ways do you feel that other developers can benefit from your experience? 

Was this project a public-private partnership or joint effort with a governmental entity? If so, what is the name of that agency, and what was the nature of their involvement in the project?

Describe the financing involved in the project.

If you had this project to do over again, what would you do differently? Why?

Renovations / Expansions

Explain why the owner decided to renovate or expand. Include a description of the existing conditions prior to renovation or expansion (physical conditions, sales, tenant mix, vacancy factor and the like)

Describe how the renovation or expansion altered those conditions.

What do you believe to be the key reasons for the success of the project? Why?

How did you determine the business success of the project? (Cite 'before' and 'after' statistics to back up the claim.)

If the center was kept open during construction, explain what measures were taken to ensure shopper safety and main shopper traffic, and what impact the work had on business.

In addition to the physical improvements, what ancillary measures were taken to enhance the center?

Describe any new marketing and/or re-leasing approaches successfully implemented during the period.

Sustainable Design

Is your project ISO, LEED, ARUP or BREEAM certified?

If yes, at what level?

Describe the project's central approach to sustainability such as energy and water use, the internal environment, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.

Supporting Marterials

Documentation

Tenant Mix / Merchandising Plan

Maps / Floor Plan

Photo Gallery

Audio / Video

 

Project Information

Description of Entry

For their first foray into the urban scene, Charming Charlie not only wanted to build a following of fashion-savvy clients in New York City but also shape a strong presence in the region, all while delivering on their mission to provide chic, effortless style and incredible value.

The design team incorporated various aspects of Charming Charlie’s shopping center concept into the flagship such as the carpet pattern, chain-link wall covering, sputnik chandeliers, and their signature blue handbag wall. Herringbone-patterned flooring, custom pink Tibetan lambskin chairs and a curved blue velvet sofa, and specifically-curated artwork were added to create a New York appeal. A feature staircase, strategically designed to draw customers to the second floor, is accented by wall coverings that periodically change, signifying new merchandise offerings.

To organize the store, the design team kept the traditional organization of grouping products by color, then used a layering strategy. The wall displays act as a backdrop to the rest of the accessories and jewelry within each color zone, and the sputnik chandeliers are used to demarcate every color zone. With displays boasting upwards of 1000 SKUs per color block, the amount of product in-store could be overwhelming if not organized correctly. The landscape of colorful vignettes are juxtaposed against a bright white, neutral backdrop to minimize visual noise. There is also a clear navigational path so customers can easily find their way to each color without the additional visual noise of signage.

Shopping Center Information

Type of Project

Other

Physical Characteristics of Project

Other

Total Acreage of Site

Total Acreage of Site

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference: plus or (minus)	Number of Levels

 

Other Uses: Office

Other Uses: Hotel

Other Uses: Residential

Other Uses: Residential

Other Uses

Other Uses

Trade Area/Cachement Area Information

Project Trade Area

Population of Primary Trade Area	Population of Secondary Trade Area	Annualized percentage of shoppers anticipated being from outside of trade area (e.g., tourists, conventioneers)

Retail Information

Total Retail Space

Total Acreage of Site

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference-Plus or (minus)

Gross Leasable Area (small shop excluding anchors)

Gross Leasable Area (small shop excluding anchors)

Before Renovation / Expansion	After Renovation / Expansion	Net Difference-Plus or (minus)	Total Number of Retail Stores (excluding anchors)

 

Total Number of Retail Stores (including anchors)

Major Tenants

Parking Information

Number of Parking Spaces Provided

Deck Parking

If deck parking, list vehicle capacity and number of levels of parking structure and briefly describe how structure connects to center.

How many parking space are required by code?

 

Development Schedule

Original Project Opening Date

Official Project Opening Date

Professional Recognition

Development Company

Owner

Production or Executive Architect

Graphic Designer

Lighting Designer

Landscape Architect

General Contractor

Management Company

Finance Company

Summary

Entry Summary

Describe the characteristics of the project you are submitting for an award. 

In what ways do you feel that other developers can benefit from your experience? 

Was this project a public-private partnership or joint effort with a governmental entity? If so, what is the name of that agency, and what was the nature of their involvement in the project?

Describe the financing involved in the project.

If you had this project to do over again, what would you do differently? Why?

New Developments

Explain what specific design and construction problems were solved or how new standards in the areas of design and construction were established.

Describe what you feel to be the key reasons for the success of the project (environmental enhancements, space utilization, construction costs, and the like).

Was the developer required to make an investment in the community? If so, explain what had to be done and what the impact was on the community.

Sustainable Design

Is your project ISO, LEED, ARUP or BREEAM certified?

If yes, at what level?

Describe the project's central approach to sustainability such as energy and water use, the internal environment, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.

Supporting Marterials

Documentation

Tenant Mix / Merchandising Plan

Maps / Floor Plan

Photo Gallery

Audio / Video

Description of Entry

For their first foray into the urban scene, Charming Charlie not only wanted to build a following of fashion-savvy clients in New York City but also shape a strong presence in the region, all while delivering on their mission to provide chic, effortless style and incredible value.

The design team incorporated various aspects of Charming Charlie’s shopping center concept into the flagship such as the carpet pattern, chain-link wall covering, sputnik chandeliers, and their signature blue handbag wall. Herringbone-patterned flooring, custom pink Tibetan lambskin chairs and a curved blue velvet sofa, and specifically-curated artwork were added to create a New York appeal. A feature staircase, strategically designed to draw customers to the second floor, is accented by wall coverings that periodically change, signifying new merchandise offerings.

To organize the store, the design team kept the traditional organization of grouping products by color, then used a layering strategy. The wall displays act as a backdrop to the rest of the accessories and jewelry within each color zone, and the sputnik chandeliers are used to demarcate every color zone. With displays boasting upwards of 1000 SKUs per color block, the amount of product in-store could be overwhelming if not organized correctly. The landscape of colorful vignettes are juxtaposed against a bright white, neutral backdrop to minimize visual noise. There is also a clear navigational path so customers can easily find their way to each color without the additional visual noise of signage.

Size of Store

16000

Company Name

Charming Charlie

Architect

CallisonRTKL

Designer

CallisonRTKL

General Contractor

Michilli Construction

Type of Merchandise

Apparel

Opening Date

6/4/2015

If Renovation, Store's Original Opening Date

Store's Renovated Opening Date

Summary

Retail Store Design

Provide detailed information on the design concept, including background on the reasons for the concept, its development and impact on store image and sales performance.

The New York flagship has the opportunity to capture Fifth Avenue tourists, locals, and trend followers with a completely unique Charming Charlie store experience. At the New York location, the customer’s purchases are more than souvenirs, they are symbols of that customer’s style, a tangible reminder of when she found her fabulous in NYC. She will take away a one-of-a-kind experience on Fifth Avenue, making Charming Charlie her go-to fashion editorial destination in New York and at home.

The objective of the flagship’s design was to create an experience that reinforces the editorial strength and style advice of Charming Charlie while pulling inspiration from the fashionable uniqueness of New York.

The design team, using research and insight into the types of customers that would visit this particular store, created the design for the tourist, the New Jersey mom and daughter, the Upper West Side mom, and the business woman - those who accessorize their space like they accessorize their wardrobe; the store’s design reflects the New York spaces that those customers aspire to have:

• Fashion books as props and risers;

• Bold use of color and gloss;

• White, brass and pops of color;

• Plush signature pink seating;

• Bright white, which makes the product pop;

• An overall fresh, residential feel;

• Eclectic styling and furniture collection;

• Energetic, geometric patterns.

Describe the integration of interior, storefront and merchandise displays.

The pink door, featured on Charming Charlie’s flagship exterior, is an element included on all the Charming Charlie current stores and is recognizable to current customer. Whereas most doors are about 9’ tall and 6’ wide, the design team made the Fifth Avenue doors almost 30’ high and 8’ wide. To add dimension, a portal was created around the door. The exterior is clad in a simple aluminum storefront system with varied glazing widths in order to add excitement and rhythm to the façade.

Within the interior of the store, the design team played with contrasts by juxtaposing the existing rough concrete structure with more glossy and decorative materials. Much of the existing structure was left exposed and the concrete columns and ceilings were painted bright white, giving the space an edgy SoHo-loft feel. To create order in the space, the columns were clad with reflective pink glass. The ‘roughness’ was further contrasted with more decorative fixtures, bright brass and colorful furniture and played up this contrast wherever possible.

The design team incorporated various aspects of Charming Charlie’s mall concept into the flagship such as the carpet pattern, chain-link wall covering, sputnik chandeliers, and their signature handbag wall. Herringbone-patterned flooring, custom pink Tibetan lambskin chairs and a curved blue velvet sofa, and specifically-curated artwork were added to create a New York appeal.

Charming Charlie’s merchandise, a landscape of colorful vignettes, is juxtaposed against a bright white, neutral backdrop to minimize visual noise.

Describe the specific materials used in creating the new concept.

Fixtures: Custom, designed by CallisonRTKL, produced by client’s millworkers

Flooring: Eco-tech Resilient Floating Floor, ASI Flooring—Architectural Systems Inc., New York, NY

Marble porcelain—Marca Corona

Furniture: Custom, designed by CallisonRTKL, produced by Vaswani Inc., Edison, NJ

Lighting: Custom, produced by client’s millworkers

Mannequins/Forms: Provided by client

Props/Decoratives: Produced by client’s millworkers

Signage/Graphics: Provided by client’s visual merchandising team

Wallcoverings and Materials: Fitting room wallpaper and fabrics—Manuel Canovas, Osborne & Little, New York, NY

Fitting room Manila Hemp grass cloth—Phillip Jeffries Ltd., Fairfield, NJ

Sales floor wallpaper—Osborne & Little, New York, NY

Pink Ombre curtains (Bernardini Weaves)—Designers Guild

Other: Elevators—Thyssenkrupp, New York, NY

Exterior sign and lighting—Big Apple Lights, New York, NY

Light boxes—Big Apple Lights, New York, NY 

If this is a renovation, describe the impact on sales. If this is a new store, comment on sales performance to date versus the planned performance.

N/A

Total cost per square meters including design, leasehold improvements and fixtures.

$437 per square foot

Documentation

Floor Plan

Audio / Video