Highland Associates Presents at the 2011 CenterBuild Conference

Highland Associates Principal, Glenn Leitch, AIA, LEED AP recently attended and presented at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) 2011 CenterBuild Conference, the premier Retail Design & Construction Conference held in Phoenix, AZ.  Founded in 1957, the ICSC is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its 50,000 members in the U.S., Canada and more than 80 other countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, lenders, retailers and other professionals as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world.

CenterBuild Conference is the dynamic, premier ICSC specialty conference for design and construction professionals dedicated to the issues of planning, development, design and construction of shopping centers and retail stores. It is highly interactive in addressing local and international development issues.  Glenn Leitch presented “Retail Design – Why is it Architecture,” in conjunction with Bruce Schmiedl, AIA, CSI, NCARB, Walgreen Realty Resources; Frankie Campione, AIA, Create Architects and David Shull, AIA, Fishbeck Thompson. 

The portion of the presentation contributed by Highland Associates featured two successful retail projects housed in historic buildings.  The first being the Bloomingdale’s SoHo store, located in a Landmarked building which mandated the preservation of the historical character of the building. Design concerns outlined during the presentation included, zoning restrictions, accessibility, inadequate utilities and time frames. The finished project resulted in numerous benefits including, the creation of a  real department store in a neighborhood sorely requiring one as well as providing Bloomingdale’s with the downtown presence they were looking for in their branding. 

The project demonstrated how a modern intervention could work in a much older structure and stimulated the increase of development farther south to what is now the  “SoHo Shopping Mecca,” while restoring a historic building that was neglected for years.

The second featured project was Elie Tahari’s flagship store located on Main Street in East Hampton, NY.  All buildings on Main Street are on the National Register of Historic Places. A variety of topics were discussed related to this project such as vision, challenges, solutions, concepts and accomplishments.  Some of the many accomplishments achieved with this project include the renovation becoming a model for future renovations in the village of East Hampton, stimulated retail growth on Newton Lane, and the store location becoming the gathering spot in town, with the familiar refrain of, “Meet me at the Elie Tahari store.”  This project was featured in Interior Design Magazine.

Over the last 29 years, thousands of design and construction professionals have attended this conference, emphasizing an interactive program and encouraging the exchange of ideas. CenterBuild affords maximum opportunities to meet and discuss issues with industry professionals and features nationally known speakers representing development, retailing, department stores, design and construction. Co

About Highland Associates
Highland Associates is a multi-disciplined firm specializing in Architecture, Engineering and Interior Design with offices located in New York and Pennsylvania.  Highland Associates offers a comprehensive list of services to satisfy the most difficult projects.  Working as a team, Highland Associate professionals analyze client needs and create practical solutions to meet the function, aesthetic and financial objective of any project. Concept-driven and problem solving, Highland Associates is an award winning design firm, guided by a design process and team approach.
 

Contact Information

Lauren Suarino

Media Contact

Highland Associates

(1) 212.681.0200

lsuarino@ha-ny.com