In the wake of Carson Pirie Scott‘s bankruptcy, Harlem Irving Companies faced a hulking, newly empty, 150,000 SF structure. Working with our client, OKW devised a solution that would not only make the newly available 150,000 SF leasable to multiple tenants, but also re-imagine the mall for 21st century shoppers.
The idea was to cut up the empty store into different pieces. These all became: (1) a new feature entry point from the second floor parking deck, (2) a new three-story atrium to provide visual access to the new second and third floor tenants , (3) a widened and fully renovated interior concourse, and (4) smaller and more easily leasable retail spaces. In addition to the structural challenges inherent in a project of this scale and complexity, our design team managed and built the project while the mall was open to the public.
The result is a welcoming and vibrant entry into a community center with decades of history. Thanks to this renovation, the HIP will continue to attract its urban residents for years to come.
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