BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC | The sound of hammers and saws can still be heard, but like the spring weather that is almost upon us, retail is opening at Brookfield Place this Thursday.
Window-sized paper announcements for Le District are being pulled down while at Satya Jewelry, the final touches to the store will be done, such as mounting photos on the wall.
“We’re very excited about the whole experience,” said Kim Zinzi, retail director of all Satya stores. She said that the store would be ready for the March 26 date — when several other stores are also expected to open in the Battery Park City complex near West and Vesey Sts.
Brookfield Office Properties began renovating what was known as the World Financial Center four years ago and has invested about $250 million in the project across from the World Trade Center. Other stores that are anticipated to open Thursday or soon after include Hermes, Salvatore Ferragamo, Zegna, Scoop, Theory, Judith & Charles, Michael Kors, Calypso, Bonobos, Diane von Furstenberg, Paul Smith and J. Crew.
Equinox has already been open for about a month. Matt Herrick, an employee that works at the front desk, said as of now, more of the members are office workers rather than local residents, but once construction is complete and people know that the gym is open that should change.
“We look forward to everything opening,” he said.
August Schopfer, 26, said that it will be convenient when the retail is open since he already enjoys the food options at Hudson Eats, which opened last year. He lamented, however, the loss of food trucks that were banished once the upstairs food court opened.
His colleague at American Express, Matt Kokeiwo, 34, said although he was indifferent about the new retail, he was happy that the construction is ending.
“I kind of forgot what it looked like [before],” said Schopfer.
