Keeping retail operations going during construction.

What are the three most important things needed to keep a retail store open during construction? They are planning, planning and more planning.

Without proper planning and ongoing communication between the retailer and the contractor it is nearly impossible to succeed. The goal of a construction project while operations are continuing is to finish as rapidly as possible and with minimal disruption. There is no room for delays in obtaining materials or waiting for an area of the store to be emptied before construction can start.

Another factor is cost. Granted, any project will be more costly when done while operations continue, but costs can be reduced by doing as much work as possible during the day, thus avoiding overtime surcharges.

This is not always possible since excessive noise and the normal construction messiness can disrupt a pleasant shopping environment. Some aspects of the project, such as most demolition and utility work, must be done at night, since power and water may have to be temporarily shut down. But good planning and communication between contractor and retailer can generally minimize the more costly after-hours work.

A closer look at the construction process will clearly show why planning and communication are crucial.

* B.R. Fries & Associates's first step is to meet with the owner and the architects and thoroughly review the scope of the work. Important in this phase is determining such factors as seasonal needs and the sequence for closing temporarily various areas of the store. At some projects, we may work in several areas and then put everything on "pause" as we approach a busy season, such as me Christmas shopping season. Or, we will plan to have an area, such as children's clothing or school supplies, completed well before the back-to-school shopping season begins.

* We view renovations while operations continue as a series of smaller projects, rather than one large one. A complete installation must be done, including utilities, before an area of a store can re-open. We contract for long-term purchase items and special fabrications well in advance to avoid a delay waiting for the delivery of materials.

* The retailer has to consider the amount of space it can relinquish during construction and how and where it will display the merchandise from that section. Time must be allowed for relocation of goods and fixtures. Just before work begins, we cordon off the area with drapes or barricades for safety, noise reduction and dust containment.

There are no cookie-cutter solutions for retail construction since every project presents unique challenges requiring customized solutions.

Some jobs can be quite complex, such as the recent expansion of the Century 21 department store in downtown Brooklyn. This was the first of many projects we have done for the discount retailer and the communication and rapport we established was important in our selection to handle other jobs for them, including the cleanup, abatement, repair and renovation of their showcase store that was heavily damaged during the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, directly across the street.

In the Brooklyn store, not only were existing areas being renovated, but Century 21 was adding a second sales floor. Much of the major structural work, such as putting in new footings and the enhancement of existing columns, had to be done at night when the store was empty. This required obtaining special permits for night work and coordinating with the local community to minimize disturbances.

This project also required covering the displays and merchandise on the first floor every night to protect them from dust. Each morning we had to remove the coverings and clean up the first floor before the store reopened. The time spent each day covering, uncovering and cleaning up was another factor that added to the cost. In addition, structural steel erections for the entire second floor were performed at night under lights with all special permits in place. But advance planning and good communication with the client made these extras part of the budget and part of the client's expectations. No one likes surprises, especially if they cost time or money.

Another job where planning and communication paid off was our expansion of Talbots on Madison Avenue at 54th Street. Talbots had leased space in an adjoining building and we had to re-work the configuration of that building to fit the existing store. This included realigning floors to avoid a precipitous drop between buildings.

We needed to do the same preparation and clean-up when we broke through the walls as we did at Century 21's Brooklyn store. Once again, work was done while the store remained open for business.

When renovating the common areas of a mall, different solutions are required. Work must be planned so that the entrances to stores remain easily visible and accessible and shoppers can see that it's business as usual.

No matter how large or small the job, clear and ongoing communication between all the team--the contractor, the owner, the architect and the engineer--must be maintained. This enables everyone to have the same expectations, monitor the progress, identify potential problems, determine assignments and make adjustments to be certain each segment of the job is on schedule.

While these elements are always important during a construction period, they are especially crucial when work is done while a store remains open for business.