NYC - Barney's looking for Financial District Location

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Is the Barneys store slated for Fidi news to you? Because it's news to us. Some background: Early this morning, real estate developer/World Trade Center leaseholder/bespectacled silver fox Larry Silverstein discussed progress at the WTC site and Robert A.M. Stern's design for a condo-hotel at 99 Church Street. As we're told by our friends over at Curbed, during the presentation, Silverstein let slip the names of a few retailers sniffing around FiDi. Among them were luxury brands Cartier, Versace, Ferragamo...and Barneys.
There's a good chance that the department store will be joining Tiffany and Hermès way south of Canal, as we hear that the retailer's got a proposal out for a space (exact address unknown at present, but they'd probably be looking on Wall Street and on Broad near Hermès).

racked.com

 

[softgrey]

additional speculation from the same source

There's more news on the Barneys to Fidi rumor this morning, as a suspiciously-informed tipster writes:

The rumor is that Barneys was thisclose to signing at 30 Broad Street. They have instead decided to move into the space at 15 Broad Street [ed. note: aka Downtown by Philippe Starck]. They would have the space on the second floor above the resident's entrance. The elevators and escalators will be accessed from the third set of double doors just north of the 15 Broad entrance. There is 18,000 square feet for lease, at least it was for lease and now the signs are conspicuously missing.​

First of all, we could see how a marriage of Barneys and DbPS would be, in a word, perfection—but they wouldn't have the ground floor? Could this really be true??? The same tipster also claims that Whole Foods is interested in 23 Wall Street, the old J. P. Morgan building, which is just insane and impossible (that building would seem like a good spot for Barneys, actually).

 

[psiabeyl]

That'd be awesome. The Financial District is one of the few gems of the city. Barneys would be a great addition. I'm SO glad they didn't try to move it to a neighborhood like SoHo. It feels more New York and less commercial this way.

 

[MJCouture]

One floor? Sounds more like an over-sized Co-Op than a full Barney's. Further more, I was under the impression that Hermes and Tiffany opened there to specifically target traders, etc. I guess Barney's could sharply edit their buy to cater to people who live and work in the FiDi, who are largely either in finance or young professionals looking for a deal. I don't know, I am still not able to accept that that area will be a viable retail hub, its a miserable neighborhood, every time I have ever had to be down there I could not wait to get out, its loud and crowded and smelly,and then after 5 aclock DESERTED. I know this is an effort to make it more of a "neighborhood" but it lacks any serious restaurant, club, bar presence and I don't see why people would all of a sudden be inclined to ditch more desirable downtown neighborhoods for this... As far as convenience goes, I live in the West Village, so I guess I am technically closer to FiDi than UES, but I would much rather go to Madison Avenue than the absolute bottom of Manhattan island. I do not even know how to get there beside a cab.

edit... And another thing! For a downtown neighborhood, FiDi is considerably "Uptown" socio-culturally so its kind of weird that this would be their entrance into Downtown NYC. The LES would have made more sense, as it has gentrified faster, and has a hipper population that is more interested in fashion than say a commodities trader.

 

[katherine]

Whaaaaaat? I don't think they're going to do well down there at all. Everybody goes uptown for shopping, and if anything, move it to somewhere more exclusive.

 

[Foxie-Pooh]

Isn't Hermes at 15 Broad Street? So I guess this new Barneys will be directly above Hermes...

 

[Caffeine]

additional speculation from the same source

There's more news on the Barneys to Fidi rumor this morning, as a suspiciously-informed tipster writes:

The rumor is that Barneys was thisclose to signing at 30 Broad Street. They have instead decided to move into the space at 15 Broad Street [ed. note: aka Downtown by Philippe Starck]. They would have the space on the second floor above the resident's entrance. The elevators and escalators will be accessed from the third set of double doors just north of the 15 Broad entrance. There is 18,000 square feet for lease, at least it was for lease and now the signs are conspicuously missing.​

First of all, we could see how a marriage of Barneys and DbPS would be, in a word, perfection—but they wouldn't have the ground floor? Could this really be true??? The same tipster also claims that Whole Foods is interested in 23 Wall Street, the old J. P. Morgan building, which is just insane and impossible (that building would seem like a good spot for Barneys, actually).

sounds exciting! it's just steps from me
I hope that is not a co-op.
the JP Morgan building is historical, so I won't be surprised that they have to preserve the top floor with "nothing" occupying it. Also they are turning the building to a condo (judging from the pics online the interior design is horrific ). I agree though second fl retail is tough. but the rent is so much cheaper downtown so they can probably get away with it.
I heard rumors that Bergdorf was considering a location downtown. We'll see.

 

[Caffeine]

One floor? Sounds more like an over-sized Co-Op than a full Barney's. Further more, I was under the impression that Hermes and Tiffany opened there to specifically target traders, etc. I guess Barney's could sharply edit their buy to cater to people who live and work in the FiDi, who are largely either in finance or young professionals looking for a deal. I don't know, I am still not able to accept that that area will be a viable retail hub, its a miserable neighborhood, every time I have ever had to be down there I could not wait to get out, its loud and crowded and smelly,and then after 5 aclock DESERTED. I know this is an effort to make it more of a "neighborhood" but it lacks any serious restaurant, club, bar presence and I don't see why people would all of a sudden be inclined to ditch more desirable downtown neighborhoods for this... As far as convenience goes, I live in the West Village, so I guess I am technically closer to FiDi than UES, but I would much rather go to Madison Avenue than the absolute bottom of Manhattan island. I do not even know how to get there beside a cab.

edit... And another thing! For a downtown neighborhood, FiDi is considerably "Uptown" socio-culturally so its kind of weird that this would be their entrance into Downtown NYC. The LES would have made more sense, as it has gentrified faster, and has a hipper population that is more interested in fashion than say a commodities trader.

My bet is that FIDI is rising. I will probably buy a place around here in the next few years after the infrustructure comes in. It's not bad at all and there have been many condos and rentals on wall st. already.
The Tiffany's is very tourists oriented though. lots of cheap stuff on display I was underwhelmed by the store. I love the Hermes store though, and somebody in my office secured a gorgeous Birkin bag on site and bought right away.

 

[psiabeyl]

^My thoughts exactly. The general consensus of New Yorkers seems to be that they want to have a new trendy area. SoHo is too well-known to outsiders now. The Financial District is prime to be the new Meatpacking District, in my opinion. Once local eateries and merchants move in due to the threat of rising rent, the neighborhood is going to boom.

 

[MJCouture]

But the FiDi is going straight from no-man's land to homogenized, high end retail. It lacks all of the characteristics that a traditional gentrifying, 'hip' neighborhood possesses. No community of artists, no evidence of a large gay population, etc. Of course, the world is changing, there is no avoiding it, but an area whose first major retail presence outside of Century 21 is Tiffany is a more likely comparison to the Americana Manhassett than to SoHo or Meatpacking in each neighborhood's respective heydays.

 

[liberty33r1b]

i always thought Hermes was a nice addition, so why not Barneys too?

 

[softgrey]

That'd be awesome. The Financial District is one of the few gems of the city. Barneys would be a great addition. I'm SO glad they didn't try to move it to a neighborhood like SoHo. It feels more New York and less commercial this way.

there is a barney's in soho already...

and it doesn't say they are moving...
just opening another location...

i think they have 3 co ops in NY in addition to the main store on madison ave...?

this would be another...
i have also heard they are going into the meatpacking district possibly...

 

[psiabeyl]

LOL. I stand corrected. It's not like the Madison store, I assume. No wonder I never knew about it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's Barneys Co-Op.

 

[Caffeine]

But the FiDi is going straight from no-man's land to homogenized, high end retail. It lacks all of the characteristics that a traditional gentrifying, 'hip' neighborhood possesses. No community of artists, no evidence of a large gay population, etc. Of course, the world is changing, there is no avoiding it, but an area whose first major retail presence outside of Century 21 is Tiffany is a more likely comparison to the Americana Manhassett than to SoHo or Meatpacking in each neighborhood's respective heydays.

But there are bankers! Are you saying that bankers are not cool? the purchasing power is there!
If I can do my shopping right downstairs from my office, I won't go uptown. Really.B)

 

[fashion_boi_01]

Putting a large retail establishment in a financial district could work.. if it can attract attention, (other than the people working in the area) it can be beneficial to the whole neighbourhood.