Urban Outfitters has leased the Art Deco style Metro theater building at 2626 Broadway at West 99th Street to create a new 15,000 square foot store.
The building, built in 1932, is considered an Art Deco jewel with 50-foot ceilings and other period details. The store will open late this year or early next year, said Ted Marlow, president of Urban Outfitters.
"It's not the easiest space to work with," Marlow said. "That's why [the opening] is still a year out. We still have some work to do."
The landmarked and famed exterior of the building will be preserved.
"Leased with the existing theater marquee, the historic facade offers an unprecedented signage opportunity and great visibility," said Benjamin Fox, president of Winick Realty Group, who represented the net-leaser. "The deal is a testament to Urban's strength in the marketplace and forward-thinking design approach."
The store will be spread over two levels with a mezzanine. It's 20 percent larger than average Urban Outfitter units.
Marlow said Urban Outfitters designs its stores as one-offs to make sure the retailer takes advantage of the architecture of each site. "We don't have a specific prototype that we roll out," he said. "We will take advantage of the inherent design elements in the space. That"s pretty much the approach we take to all locations."
The company is hoping to attract the nearby students from Columbia University, as well as foot traffic in the area. Urban Outfitters already has six stores in Manhattan, but wants to open more because of the existing stores' success. And we can't tell you how happy it makes us to hear on a store opening, instead of on more stores closing.
