We're not sure why this significant news was buried at the bottom of a real estate column in the New York Post. Ralph Lauren is demolishing his secondary boutique on the Southwest corner of Madison Avenue and 72^nd Street so he can build it back up bigger and better. His iconic flagship store in the historic Rhinelander Mansion will remain intact, while Lauren relocates its sibling to Madison & 80^th Street during construction of the new building at no. 888. At 20,000 square feet, it will nearly double the size of its predecessor, and will be designed in the Beaux Arts style common in the neighborhood. It is unlikely that they will attempt to replicate the ornate detail of the Mansion across the street, however, the new structure will incorporate an adjacent townhouse whose tenants are vacating (pictured right). Look for the new design to reflect this style more. Lauren has colonized this particular block, eventually taking all existing retail space on the Madison Avenue side. With such a huge amount of square footage already at his disposal, one wonders why Lauren needs so much more The current building on its own could make a large designer flagship by anyone's standards, but his product offerings have become so abundant and varied that both Madison Avenue stores are choked with merchandise. The Mansion, for all it's charm and atmosphere, was not built to be a store and offers many practical challenges, particularly concerning stock space. Its neighbor across the street was originally opened as Polo Sport concept unit, but was converted in 2001 to reflect a fuller mix of product, often causing confusion among customers. While hardly an eyesore, the stone building, formerly gallery space, is not protected by the neighborhood's historic district rules, and could easily double in height without creating an architectural anomaly. A new design will also fit in better with Lauren's preferred store design concepts, as well as give much needed space to departments like the popular home furnishing collection currently cramped on the Mansion's fourth floor. It's an interesting move that should solve many of the practical challenges Lauren faces at his busiest locations as well as create what will have to be the city's largest single designer boutique complex.
A Herald Of Big New Deals (NYPost)