Inside 620 Avenue of the America's: What’s Really Happening with Chelsea’s Historic Megasite?

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Q1: What was the original purpose of 620 Avenue of the Americas?
A1: Completed in 1896, the building opened as the flagship department store for the Siegel-Cooper Company. Known as "The Big Store," it was briefly the largest department store in the world, renowned for its six retail floors, vast skylights, and central marble fountain.

Q2: Why hasn't 620 Avenue of the Americas been converted into apartments?
A2: Deep architectural floorplates prevent natural light from reaching the center of the building, which clashes with New York residential code requirements for exterior bedroom windows. High structural costs to core light wells, coupled with historic landmark restrictions, make residential conversion financially impractical.

Q3: Which submarket controls the building's leasing regulations?
A3: The property falls under the jurisdiction of the Ladies' Mile Historic District and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Any exterior modifications, store signage changes, or window replacements require explicit approval from preservation authorities.

Q4: How are landlords handling the vacant retail space left behind by Bed Bath & Beyond?
A4: Leasing teams have pivoted toward multi-tenant configurations. Rather than searching for a single big-box replacement to swallow 100,000 square feet, ownership is subdividing floor plans into modular spaces for boutique retailers, fitness studios, and specialty grocers.