The benefits of a good team in retail projects

Real Estate Weekly, June 23, 2004 by Steve Copeland

The Ermenegildo Zegna Flagship Store at 697 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan opened in April 2004.

Much like many other stores on 5th Avenue, it is a great success, sales exceed expectations, the store appearance is flawless and the installed systems function smoothly.

This project, though, was anything but routine for all those who worked on it, and it is a great example of why involving a the project team early on in the design process is vital.

In late 2002, aware of the challenges ahead, Ermenegildo Zegna engaged the design team and the general contractor prior to executing a lease.

They reviewed the site conditions and developed the store's requirements for the services to be supplied by the Landlord, Salvatore Ferragamo. Great care was taken to ensure that the Lease would include these services, which if not provided for or adequately sized, could have exposed the client to possible service upgrades. This would have drastically increased the construction cost and impacted the project schedule.

In the end, the Landlord was very receptive and accommodated these service requirements for Ermenegildo Zegna.

Although this is not the norm for most retail projects in Manhattan, this early collaboration allowed the design team to more easily focus on the challenges ahead.

One of the main challenges they dealt with was interfacing with the Design Architects, who were based in Italy. The Executive Architect here in New York, The Phillips Group, was responsible for implementing the architectural design, coordinating it with local codes

and existing conditions, and identifying design decisions that could have negatively affected the established project budget.

In addition, all architectural design modifications and system designs developed by the architect's consultants required the approval from the Design Architect, prior to implementation. For example, because the project budget was identified as an issue early in the design process, two separate HVAC schemes were developed. They were both approved by the Design Architect and priced by the General Contractor.

One scheme utilized a distribution system consisting of linear diffusers, and the second scheme utilized only 2x2 diffusers.

Ultimately, based on input from all of the members of the team, a hybrid system of both Linear and 2x2 diffusers was implemented.

This successful communication amongst team members resulted in a collaborative effort to reach a solution.

Another major challenge was the installation of a new interior glass elevator, with landings in the basement, ground floor, mezzanine and 2nd floors. In order to install the elevator, it was necessary to relocate major banks of existing plumbing, condenser water and steam piping, along with electrical conduit, sprinkler piping, and a 2000 amp bus duct, which served the Ferragamo office floors located above the Ermenegildo Zegna tenant space. As is the case in many buildings in Manhattan, it was very difficult to identify without question the systems that could be affected by the relocations, as well as determine what was active and what could be abandoned.

The various sub-contractors spent many hours tracing and identifying the piping as well as closely coordinating shutdowns and reconnects with the Landlord.

With this successful team approach, the existing services were completely relocated in four weeks time without causing disruption to the Landlord and without affecting the schedule for the elevator installation.

The Ermenegildo Zegna Project was a success for a number of reasons. First and most importantly, the client involved the design team during the Lease negotiations. Secondly, the client assembled professionals who were willing to approach the project as a team.

It was this team approach that enabled both design and construction issues to be dealt with in an efficient and expedited manner, which is paramount in retail construction, where both quality and schedule will determine success.

BY STEVE COPELAND, ASSOCIATE PARTNER AMBROSINO, DEPINTO & SCHMIEDER CONSULTING ENGINEERS, PC