Simon to Renovate Copley Place, Build Copley Tower

BOSTON—Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group announced on Tuesday that it will begin a major renovation of its Copley Place retail center here in September. The firm also says it will begin construction sometime before the end of this year on the much-anticipated $500-million Copley Place Tower nearby.

Company officials say that the Copley Place renovation is part of a multi-million dollar project at the site along Dartmouth Street. In addition, Simon began work last year on improvements to the existing office space at the Copley Place complex. The company in its announcement related that it will also begin work soon to upgrade the Southeast Corridor along Dartmouth Street in preparation for the start of construction of the Copley Place Tower building. Work on the 52-story project is expected to commence before year's-end.

The existing space at Copley Place features 800,000 square feet of commercial office space, 75 retailers (including Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Tory Burch), two parking garages, and The Westin Copley Place and Marriott Boston Copley Place hotels. Simon did not provide specific costs for the renovation projects being undertaken at the complex.

“Simon continues to reinvest in our properties, and the renovation of Copley Place is another strong example of that," says David Contis, president, Simon Malls. "We are confident that this transformation will enhance the shopping experience for our guests and further strengthen our position as the high-end shopping destination in the heart of Boston."

The planned retail enhancements to the interior of Copley Place include: new flooring throughout the center that will consist of a blend of stone, stone mosaic, and porcelain; new ceiling treatments; upgraded escalators including the addition of a new escalator in the Neiman Marcus wing that will connect shopping levels one and two; glass handrails to enhance visibility to the upper shopping levels and 16-foot retail storefronts on level 2; updated restrooms and the addition of a family restroom located across from current restrooms on the first level; an upscale fast casual dining component; and energy-efficient upgrades, such as LED lighting, that will complement the recently unveiled electric vehicle fast-charging freedom station at the property.

Simon also reports that a number of retailers have signed on at the property or are expanding their existing locations at Copley Place. They include: CH Carolina Herrera (opening August 2015), Moncler (opening September 2015), Versace (opening spring 2016), Tory Burch (expanded current location), L.K. Bennett (expanded current location), Banana Republic (relocated) and Eileen Fisher (relocated).

Copley Place Tower will be built above the current Neiman Marcus space at 100 Huntington Ave. The project calls for 121 condominium residences and 421 luxury apartments, as well as 45,000 square feet of new retail space. The project's plan has already been approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority.