Zara Selects Schimenti To Build Fifth Avenue Flagship Store
Ridgefield, CT - Zara, one of the largest fashion retailers in the world with over with 1500 stores worldwide, has chosen Schimenti Construction Company to build its new flagship store at 666 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan.
The 39,000 square foot store will be in one of the symbolic buildings in Manhattan, the former home of the NBA Store, and is situated in one of the busiest shopping areas in the world, closed to Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Project executive Joseph Schimenti said, “we have begun the first phase (demolition and structural work) of the project which has included lowering the second floor to provide a higher ceiling and installing new steel beams. In addition to the two above ground sales floors, the store features a 20,000 square foot lower level sales floor.
The first phase is of this project expected to be completed in September with the second phase (interior and exterior construction) to be completed in early 2012.”
The second phase will include a new facade with extensive glazing, a pre-cast stone structure, and extra large windows will be constructed during this phase giving the store an exciting exterior. New elevators and escalators will also be installed during the second phase.
Schimenti President Matthew Schimenti said, “We are pleased that the first project we’ve received from Zara is to build their Fifth Avenue flagship store. I believe our experience building in Manhattan and our extensive retail construction track record were positive influencers in the decision.”
The first Zara store opened in 1975 in Coruña, Spain, where the Group first began doing business and where it still maintains its headquarters. Its stores can now be found in prime locations in more than 400 cities in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Zara is part of Inditex, one of the world’s largest distribution groups.
The Inditex Group is made up of more than 100 companies operating in textile design, manufacturing and distribution. The group's success and its unique business model, based on innovation and flexibility, have made Inditex one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world.
Schimenti Construction, headquartered in Ridgefield with offices in New York City, has built a strong reputation in the retail construction industry and has developed a solid niche in urban construction. The firm builds retail-shopping environments for some of the nations leading retailers including Hollister, TJ Maxx, Kohl’s, REI, Fossil, Barnes & Noble, Target, GAP, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
