Showrooms on W39th St: the future of the Fashion District.

The Fashion District is one of New York City's most dynamic, rapidly-evolving neighborhoods.

High-profile office tenants, quality retailers and international companies are increasingly making their home in the area; this gentrification and diversification benefits the city and the economy, but we want to make sure that the fashion industry that has long defined the neighborhood remains a strong presence in the area.

Keeping high-end showrooms in the Fashion District is the key to preserving the integrity and history of this, one of New York City's most vibrant neighborhoods.

For the past decade, showrooms have been migrating from the avenues to the side streets as avenue space has increasingly been converted to commercial offices.

As this natural evolution has proven successful, 39th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue has emerged as the new epicenter of New York's fashion industry.

Showrooms have congregated on West 39th Street for a variety of reasons. By clustering together, fashion companies created a vertical shopping center that allows buyers and designers to fulfill all of their needs in the same building.

As more and more fashion companies came to 39th Street, the block became increasingly attractive to buyers.

The presence of buyers in the area created a strong draw for fashion companies, which in turn drew more buyers and designers. This cycle established 39th Street as the "go-to" place for all things fashion. 39th Street is now home to all types of contemporary fashion companies, but the overwhelming majority of space is dedicated to women's fashion, which occupies approximately 95% of these showrooms.

214 W. 39th Street was one of the first buildings to attract world-renowned designers, and is the fashion designers' mecca in New York City. Additionally, 231 W. 39th St., 530 and 550 Seventh Ave. and 1407 and 1410-12 Broadway have sprung up as prominent fashion centers, creating an east/ west axis.

One major result of the rise of showrooms on West 39th Street is the visible improvement to the buildings and showrooms themselves.

Space in the buildings is primarily loft-style featuring high ceilings and wood or polished concrete floors. With the presence of notable tenants such as Calvin Klein, the spaces have been dramatically enhanced and modernized. We hope to see this phenomenon repeated throughout the Fashion District, as it would dramatically improve real estate in the district.

Thirty-ninth Street should be the model for the symbiotic success of the fashion industry and the neighborhood at large.

In a city that impractically stepping over itself for commercial space, affordable avenue space in the Fashion District is extremely scarce. I fear that in 10 years, the same thing will happen to the side street space.

At this time, converting buildings to office use is lucrative for landlords, but I hope we can find a way that is mutually beneficial to landlords and fashion tenants to protect showroom space. We simply cannot allow the Fashion District to be priced out of its historic roots.

Though some contend the real estate market has evolved to the point that it is not feasible for the fashion industry to remain in New York, I believe it can be. New York's Fashion District reported $47 billion in sales last year and remains a very strong force in the global fashion industry. Home to some of the most prominent fashion shows in the world, New York's Fashion District draws both up-and-coming and renowned, established designers. To world-renowned retailers, such as Barney's, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks, showrooms are an irreplaceable resource. If their presence is in jeopardy, so is New York's title as the "Fashion Capital of the World".

With the impending rezoning of the Fashion District, I hope the powers that be will look to the brilliant example of West 39th Street. We cannot afford to miss the boat on New York City's biggest fashion asset--its showrooms.

Attempting to keep manufacturing in New York City is not the answer. By embracing showrooms, we can facilitate the natural progression of both the fashion industry and the famed neighborhood that created it.

The Fashion District is a viable, historical, and cultural part of New York City and we have to protect its legacy.

JAMES BUSLIK, PRINCIPAL,

ADAMS & Co. REAL ESTATE