Architectural documents filed with the Palo Alto (N. Calif.) planning agency reveal that Apple intends to move its current retail store on University Avenue to a new, larger space that will include a skylight and indoor trees. As first revealed by The Daily News, plans filed with the city by architect Bohlin Cywinski Jackson did not mention Apple by name. But sources confirmed Apple’s plans to occupy the 10,700 square-foot former Z Gallerie furniture store space at 340 University Avenue, about 1½ blocks west of the current location. The city’s architectural review board approved the plans on Thursday 3-0, noting that the 1924-vintage building has been renovated several times and has no current architectural significance. The new space will include an all-glass storefront, a mezzanine and an atrium-like area under the skylight. A street dead-ends across from the future store, which will provide increased visibility of the storefront for passing pedestrians and motorists. A CVS drug store is adjacent to the space, and there is a city parking lot behind the building. The submitted documents say the store design is new for Apple, with a transparent glass front “dissolves the boundary that traditional store facades create. By not breaking the horizontal ground plane of the sidewalk with opaque wall or landscape element, for example, the street is made part of the store’s interior; the pedestrian is in the store before entering it.” Some renderings of the future Georgetown (DC) have shown a similar skylight-trees arrangement. It doesn’t appear that such a design will become standard, however. The current store occupies about 6,500 square-feet on a single level, and retains the wood floor and several other interior features from when the store first opened in October 2001 as store No. 9. Documents and photos after the break.
Download (pdf) a copy of the Palo Alto Architectural Review Board agenda and the staff notes about the proposed construction. Download the Arsan Realty flyer about the property. Watch an on-scene video report about the relocation.
Trivia: The building’s original occupant in 1924 was Liddicoat’s Market. In 1977 the building was converted to multiple speciality food vendors. One of those vendors was Debbie Fields, who opened her first cookie stand inside this building. Now, Mrs. Field’s Original Cookies, Inc. has 1,200 franchised locations in the U.S. and 22 other countries.
The building for the relocated store is 50 wide and 180 feet deep, wood frame with structural steel added recently for earthquake protection. There is a mezzanine level about 100 feet back from the front of the store. The newspaper rack, bike racks and trash can would be removed under Apple's proposed project.
Note the timber structure, which is apparently original from the building's 1924 construction. The furnishings are left over from Z Gallerie days.
The rear of the building, which is apparently newer than the front portion of the property. To the right is the rear entrance to a CVS drug store, and a city parking lot. To the left is an alley that leads out to a side street.
The view of the storefront from Florence St., which dead-ends at University Ave.
The outline of 340 University is where the the Palo Alto store will be relocated during 2010-2011.
E-mail this story
Related posts:
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I saw another writeup with some more details on this:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14147621
In retail jargon, the word “prototype” is defined as “version,” not the ordinary definition of “the original or model on which something is based or formed.” Web stories talking a new prototype seem to imply that the Palo Alto design is the forerunner for future stores. Obviously, since the majority of Apple stores are in shopping malls, the Palo Alto design isn’t possible everywhere. The “prototype” language was contained in some very long passages submitted by the architect, which are typically trying to be very descriptive without revealing anything solid. I have seen this design before, and consider that it’s an evolution of the current skylight-in-a-store plan. Perhaps more interesting here will be how Apple instals the store within a 90 year-old, timber frame building. No doubt there will be considerable erection of steel inside the existing walls. Expect the store to take at least a year to complete.
Since the stores first opened, Apple now needs space for more iPods, iPhone, iPod Touch, Training and soon the Tablets. So the stores should be larger. But should they be a lot larger, or should there be a lot more locations.
And for those of you that have participated in training. Were you satisfied with the space, the privacy and the atmosphere of your training area. Or should Apple start building cubicles so you can actually hear your trainer.
This sounds both interesting and not-new at the same time. Gary, you make a valid point about being an extension of the Scottsdale/Mannhasset/Lincoln Park stores with large glass bookends and skylight in the middle. I too remember some architectural plans that included trees inside, I thought it was weird to see in plans for Apple. I think they need to make their stores warmer. Before M$ opened up their stores, we couldn’t really see the shortcomings of Apple’s designs, but now I see a major one. The M$ stores have much warmer colors and are frankly are a little more inviting while Apple’s are cold and sterile especially as they substitute wood floors for drab grey stone and the already sterile white walls for stainless steel. Sure the stores are modern, but they’re a harsh modern, so I welcome more natural light and something alive, like trees, to add some color back into the spaces.
-Brian
I agree with you Brian. Just because Apple has been very successful with their retail stores doesn’t mean that they can’t improve. Part of the “sterile look” is to keep the attention on the product. But that doesn’t mean the stores should look cold and uninviting. Even Apple has said that they want to have more “significant” stores. That is because they pull in more money per square foot than their “cookie cutter” design locations. Why not reach out to local schools and show their video projects. Maybe some different colored stones in the floor at the entrance. Every store should have something unique about it. Even if it is just the name above the Genius Bar. Maybe for next Christmas season go back to the color-striped Apple logo. But if they stay with generic look and generic feel, the new potential customers will not see it any more. Sometimes there needs to be change for the sake of change.
Given this is Uncle Steve’s store, I’m surprised it has taken this long to revamp the store.
{ 3 trackbacks }