Lord & Taylor’s Manhasset and Garden City branches are undergoing major renovation projects to create better shopping experiences for its customers, the company announced on Thursday.
“Lord & Taylor is delighted to be adding to our footprint on Long Island where we have a long history and loyal customers,” said Liz Rodbell, president of Lord & Taylor and Hudson’s Bay, in a statement.
The Manhasset renovation will see the ladies’ shoe department double in size with improvements to the floors, lighting, fixtures and hardwares. The department store will also be outfitted with new fitting rooms, service desks and a personal shopping office.
A new main entrance will be constructed at the parking lot near Shelter Rock Road, resulting in the removal of 70 parking spaces from the 573 parking spaces and the addition of 16 spaces on the southern field.
The Village of North Hills Board of Zoning Appeals granted Lord & Taylor a variance for the change in configuration and reduction in spaces.
Project engineer Courtney Riley of VHB Engineering noted that in compliance with a letter from Building Inspector Donald Alberto on June 25, 2015, the parking provided by the retailer will also include 11 handicap-accessible parking spaces.
Rodbell said in a statement that the design of the store will allow it to deliver an exciting experience to customers for years to come.
The site plan, which was approved in 2015 by the North Hempstead Town Board and the Village of North Hills, calls for a two-story addition that will add 37,150 square feet to the existing store at 1440 Northern Blvd.
Traffic consultant Robert Eschbacher, of VHB Engineeering, said in June the retailer determined that there would be a sufficient number of parking spaces after observing traffic on the two busiest shopping days — Friday and Saturday — on several occasions and projecting how many additional cars would be parked with the additional square-footage to the store.
“What we have noticed is that there is a tendency with the upper parking lot for many people to circulate around in there to have closer parking,” he told the village Board of Zoning Appeals. “By directing all vehicles down to the larger, lower lot and reorienting the entrance to the building to face that lot, we are very confident based on the results of the analysis that there will be adequate parking.”
The Garden City branch will have a new men’s environment on the upper level, an enhanced spa room and upgraded customer techpoints, company officials said.
The Sarabeth Cafe at the store will also be upgraded.
With ongoing construction, all entrances will be accessible the Garden City store.
The rear door near Shelter Rock Road at the Manhasset store will be the only accessible entrance to the building but the store will remain open to shoppers throughout the duration of the project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2017.
The Garden City renovation will be completed by the end of the year.
