Courtesy of Restoration Hardware
The intersection of Ninth Avenue, Gansevoort Street and Little West 12th Street in Manhattan’s Gansevoort Market Historic District, has been in active use for over 150 years. It has served as an open air market, stables, a meatpacking warehouse and, as possibly it’s most notable incarnation, the home of the much loved bistro, Pastis. It is now the new 90,000 square foot home of Restoration Hardware’s Manhattan flagship.
The transformation from 19th century, 2 story warehouse space to 5 story, 21st century retail and design showcase, complete with a central atrium and glass elevator, was no easy task. The project involved gutting the interior of the original structure while carefully preserving the original brick enclosure and building a new glass and steel structure within.
To complicate matters, the building is located close to the flood plain and excavation was required to build a new basement and foundations to support the new construction.
The new structure is steel framed, using moment frames with composite concrete and metal deck floor slabs. This system was designed to provide flexibility in the retail layouts and provide support for the original brick exterior walls and the new awning along Ninth Avenue and Little West 12th Street. Beams accommodate stone floor finish throughout the retail spaces and were designed to minimize foot-fall vibration.
The building, designed by Wormser + Associates Architects with façade by BKSK Architects, artfully melds old and new, retaining the original base and preserving the charm and character of the authentic brick facades. RH collaborated with Backen Gillen Kroeger Architects for the RH tenant design. The new glass and steel structure rises out of the base creating an open plan for retail including a rug showroom, a materials library, a coffee bar and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of the area.
GMS is well versed in the challenges of converting existing historic structures for re-use – click here to see some other projects or call Phil Murray or Carl Zanier to see how we can help you.
Courtesy of Restoration Hardware
Courtesy of Restoration Hardware
Courtesy of Restoration Hardware