Creative stacking helps developers maximize space.

The shrinking amount of developable property in and around large cities such as New York, and the high cost of land, have made it a necessity to stack horizontal power centers vertically, thereby maximizing what may be a small footprint for a given project.

While limited land has always been an obstacle in New York, we are beginning to see this trend expand to other cities as well.

Where we would normally see a power center on 50 to 100 acres of land, we are now seeing much smaller footprints for relatively the same size--or even larger--retail developments.

For example, in 1999 we designed the 640,000 s/f Gateway Center in Brooklyn, built on 48 acres; a similar new development for the same client, Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market in the South Bronx, is placing more retail on less land, with more than one million square feet on just under 17 acres.

Clearly, the vertical stacking of big boxes is the current trend in utilizing land values.

Although stacking retail enables developers to get more out of the available land, it also makes projects more difficult and expensive to build.

In addition, the ability to bring in stores on multiple levels depends on the type of retailer. A destination retailer, for example, which has its own following of customers, can be successful even on the third or fourth level. By contrast, a smaller, lesser-known retailer would not.

One GreenbergFarrow project, Queens Place in Elmhurst, has a Target that begins on the third floor and still attracts plenty of foot traffic.

It takes a great deal of experience to know what will and will not succeed in any given new retail development. Having worked extensively with both retailers and developers, GreenbergFarrow understands the needs of both parties. We seek to create a design that is feasible for the developer and desirable for the retailer as well.

Balancing the needs of developer and retailer, which often requires constant negotiation, is an important part of what we do. The design recommendations we make need to satisfy both parties, while taking maximum advantage of possible constraints associated with building codes and zoning.

Naturally, every tenant wants a strong presence in a retail center, especially one that has multiple levels. We're finding that more retailers are seeking increased visibility and signage. In New York City particularly, retailers are looking for more glass, more display area and store windows. These are the features you don't typically find in suburban retail centers.

At the Home Depot on 23rd Street in Manhattan, for example, GreenbergFarrow adapted a ground-level display approach where pedestrians could be attracted by window displays. The Target we designed in Riverdale has a large glass element offering views into the store. The glass even showcases the parking level above as a way to emphasize shopper accessibility.

Parking is another important aspect of a retail center in both urban and suburban settings, particularly if land is scarce.

GreenbergFarrow's typical approach is to place the parking above, below or in a structure adjacent to the retail centers, making it convenient for shoppers, yet not taking away space that could be used for other stores.

We're also noticing an increase in mixed-use developments that incorporate multiple functions. For example, residential towers are now being built above power centers with major big box retailers, and some centers have residential towers above office space.

At the new center coming to Rego Park, Queens, the retail base will have major national big box retailers with residential towers above. And at The Langston on 145th Street in Harlem, there will be retail on two levels and 180 condominium apartments above, with below-grade parking. Clearly, mixed-use projects in New York City and beyond are seeking to maximize available space by incorporating a range of uses.

In the next few years, especially in urban retail developments, exteriors will become more of a focus in project design. Better materials will be used for building facades. More glass will be used to fulfill a retailer's need for increased visibility. GreenbergFarrow attempts to create a design that will provide retailers with the visibility they seek in a way that remains compatible with the developer's vision for the space.

The heart of the matter is to maximize available space. This principle is key to all of GreenbergFarrow's current retail projects. In the New York area in particular, our most significant projects for 2006 are major vertical power centers in urban areas including The Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market, The Rego Park Center in Queens and East River Plaza.

By serving as partner to both developers and retailers--and by understanding the individual needs of both developers and retailers--GreenbergFarrow creates designs that satisfy their mutual requirements by delivering a successful development.

Navid Maqami, AIA,

Principal, GreenbergFarrow