West Elm signs lease for more than 150,000 sq. ft. of LEED-certified office, retail space in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood; space will house West Elm's corporate headquarters, expanded store including West Elm, West Elm Market and coffee shop

Cindy Allen

BROOKLYN, New York , September 6, 2013 (press release) – LEED-certified waterfront location represents significant expansion for the growing brand

Home furnishings retailer West Elm announced today that it has signed a lease for more than 150,000 square feet of office and retail space in the iconic Empire Stores development at 55 Water Street in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. The LEED-certified space will house West Elm’s corporate headquarters as well as an expanded store including West Elm, West Elm Market and the West Elm Market coffee shop in one space. The stores and corporate office will relocate from their current locations in DUMBO. The $150 million conversion, lead by Midtown Equities, will begin in early 2014.

“We’re thrilled to have the Brooklyn-based home furnishings retailer, West Elm, as our first tenant at Empire Stores”

“The West Elm brand is growing quickly and significantly and we are thrilled to continue to expand our business in Brooklyn, where the brand was founded more than 10 years ago,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “With our shared focus on sustainability, historic preservation and community building, the Empire Stores restoration project is incredibly meaningful for us.”

The new West Elm store will occupy the ground-floor space at 55 Water and will include waterfront-outdoor seating and a coffee shop created in partnership with La Colombe, bringing coffee back to the former coffee warehouse after more than 50 years. The West Elm team plans to reuse many of the building’s original elements in the design of the new store. Old coffee chutes, pulley systems, shutters, coffee carts and much of the original wood will be repurposed. In addition, cutting-edge technology will be utilized to develop lighting plans and energy savings through the LEED-certified building.

“We’re thrilled to have the Brooklyn-based home furnishings retailer, West Elm, as our first tenant at Empire Stores,” said Joe Cayre, Chairman of Midtown Equities. “West Elm has played an important role in shaping DUMBO into the distinct neighborhood it is today. We’re delighted to be part of their growth in the local area, which continues to add business to the community for the future. The innovative brand adds to the roster of exciting, creative and young companies located in one of the most iconic waterfront buildings in New York City.”

West Elm currently has 51 stores in the United States, Canada and Australia, and recently announced plans to expand into Europe with the brand’s first store scheduled to open in London in the fall of 2013. The West Elm Market concept, focused on kitchen, garden and home care, launched in late 2012 and currently includes two stand-alone stores in Brooklyn and Vancouver, BC Canada, as well as shop-in-shop locations in more than 19 West Elm stores in the US and Canada.

About West Elm

Mixing clean lines, natural textures and global accents, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand introduced its first catalog in 2002 and opened the doors of its first retail location in 2003. The brand’s complete collection of modern furniture and room décor, including modern dinnerware, wall shelves, and modern bedding is available in 51 retail stores in the United States, Canada and Australia, and around-the-clock at www.westelm.com. West Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.

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