Jeffrey M. Brown to build city's first container store.

Jeffrey M. Brown Associates has been selected to build the first new Manhattan location for The Container Store, a retail store specializing in storage and organization products.

JMB Associates has already begun interior demolition at the historic B. Altman & Co. building on 6th Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets in Chelsea, to prepare the structure for tenant fit-out. The $3 million construction project will be completed in a rapid 14 weeks--in time for this year's holiday shopping season.

"We will be able to finish this project on an accelerated, fast-track schedule because we have a clear-cut strategy in place," said project executive Steve Saddlemire. "Working closely with the client and the architect in addition to having a thorough pre-construction plan is invaluable to the success of any project, but particularly critical to one with a fast-track schedule like The Container Store."

When completed, The Container Store will occupy 38,425 square feet, including street-level retail space and basement space for stock, offices and training facilities. The store will carry a collection of more than 10,000 storage and organizational products divided into 14 lifestyle sections--including closet, kitchen, shelving, office, laundry and bath.

The location of the B. Altman & Co. building--the home of the famous New York dry goods merchandiser for more than 30 years beginning in 1876--drove the design and layout of the interior. The historic building retains its Neo-Greco style architectural elements, including thin pilasters and colonnettes, intricate cornices and a cast-iron facade. As a result, it is sure to be a standout among The Container Store's 29 stores nationwide. Founded in 1984, Jeffrey M. Brown Associates is a construction manager, general contractor, and consultant for a diverse range of prominent local and national clients.

Its project roster includes office buildings, retail centers, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, distribution and warehouse centers, parking garages and multifamily residential projects. With offices in Philadelphia and New York City, the firm's vast and varied clientele include Mack-Cali, Target, Federal Express, Marriott, Crate & Barrel, Tiffany & Co. and the Hospital for Joint Diseases, among others.

Other JMB projects include:

* Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, New Jersey: JMB has constructed three high-rise office buildings that are part of the Harborside Financial Center development, totaling nearly 3 million square feet of office space.

* Main Street at Exton, Exton, Pennsylvania: JMB is managing construction of a 750,000-square-foot, open-air lifestyle center with tenants such as Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Pier 1 Imports, Babies 'R' Us, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Eastern Mountain Sports. Other major tenants include a 115,000-square-foot Sam's Club and a 160,000-square-foot Wal-Mart.

* FedEx City Station, New York, New York: JMB developed and managed the construction of FedEx's first vertical distribution center, a 167,000-square-foot sorting center with 80 loading stations on the West Side of Manhattan that is a prototype for future urban facilities.