Apple to Upgrade Fifth Avenue Store Plaza, Temporarily Remove Iconic Glass Cube

[MacRumors]

ifoAppleStore reports that Apple has begun work on a $6.6 million project to revamp the plaza at its flagship Fifth Avenue retail store in Manhattan, home of the iconic glass cube entrance leading to the underground retail space. As part of the project, Apple will be temporarily removing the glass cube to install new pavers on the plaza.

Workers reportedly appeared on site last night and began fencing off areas around the store to begin work on the project.

Building permits issued on June 13th state the work will also include removing protective bollards, installing new pavers around the cube's perimeter, and removing and reinstalling surrounding water drains. According to the permits, the work could be finished by early November.

It is unclear whether Apple will be replacing the glass panels of the cube or making other changes to the structure, or simply temporarily removing the cube to facilitate other drainage and paver work on the plaza.

Apple's Fifth Avenue store opened in mid-2006 as the gleaming flagship of the chain, operating 24 hours a day. Despite the company having opened a number of significantly larger flagship stores around the world in the following years, the Fifth Avenue store has maintained its position as one of the busiest and most-visited stores in the company's retail chain.

Article Link: Apple to Upgrade Fifth Avenue Store Plaza, Temporarily Remove Iconic Glass Cube

 

[tsadi]

So no store there until November?

 

[maclaptop]

Translated:

Depite the trendy area, iTermites and a super species of iBugs have eaten away at the very foundation of said "Glass Palace".

 

[crisss1205]

This is truly an amazing store. I passed by there a few times over the past couple of years and it still looks amazing, especially since it is right next to Central Park.

 

[alent1234]

slow news day, huh?

now the bloggers are tracking apple building permits?

 

[jonhaxor]

This is truly an amazing store. I passed by there a few times over the past couple of years and it still looks amazing, especially since it is right next to Central Park.

Image

I live not too far from there and typically avoid that place like the plague .. (unless I need to pick up a shiny apple widget at 1AM) .. it's always crawling with tourists, and the street vendors have turned it into a sidewalk nightmare on weekends

great location though for apple to attract business - just down the street from 30 Rock on the most heavily trafficked area of 5th ave.

 

[bigjnyc]

I live not too far from there and typically avoid that place like the plague .. (unless I need to pick up a shiny apple widget at 1AM) .. it's always crawling with tourists, and the street vendors have turned it into a sidewalk nightmare on weekends

great location though for apple to attract business - just down the street from 30 Rock on the most heavily trafficked area of 5th ave.

Same here, I live and work nearby and that place is a tourist attraction.. it's always so full in there with gawkers and tourists buying ipod shuffles just to say they bought something there. Then you have a bunch of kids from nearby schools or just hanging out in the summer, so playing with any of the machines before making a purchase is nearly impossible.

 

[RalfTheDog]

I live not too far from there and typically avoid that place like the plague .. (unless I need to pick up a shiny apple widget at 1AM) .. it's always crawling with tourists, and the street vendors have turned it into a sidewalk nightmare on weekends

great location though for apple to attract business - just down the street from 30 Rock on the most heavily trafficked area of 5th ave.

We the tourists dump lots of money into your fantastic city. I will admit that when I am in NYC, I also avoid the tourist traps. When I need to pick up a shiny Apple Trinket, I usually go to the store around 60 something and Broadway. (I like the dog bowl filled with water they keep by the door.)

 

[shurcooL]

This is where I first saw the iPhone 4 in person back when it was only out in US, during my visit to NYC.

 

[Koodauw]

Steve wants to try out some of that new curved glass they are to use on the new campus.

 

[Malty]

Proud to say i've visited last year. Didn't know it was open 24/7 though. You learn something new everyday

 

[coder12]

Replace it all with rounded glass?

edit: ninja'd!

Steve wants to try out some of that new curved glass they are to use on the new campus.

 

[macse30]

Remove all that to replace some pavers? Right, and I got your iPhone6 for you right here.

 

[sammich]

Steve wants to try out some of that new curved glass they are to use on the new campus.

Heh. They could use that curved glass to make a giant apple (with the chunk taken out too).

 

[RawBert]

Beautiful. I'd love to visit someday.

edit: ninja'd!

HA!!!!

 

[crisss1205]

I live not too far from there and typically avoid that place like the plague .. (unless I need to pick up a shiny apple widget at 1AM) .. it's always crawling with tourists, and the street vendors have turned it into a sidewalk nightmare on weekends

great location though for apple to attract business - just down the street from 30 Rock on the most heavily trafficked area of 5th ave.

Oh, I know. I never go inside or on that side of the street. If I need to go to an Apple Store while in the city I go to SoHo or West 14th street. But I live on Long Island so I usually go to Roosevelt Field or Manhassset.

 

[theheadguy]

I say it's fine as it is. I love the idea of upgrading an already amazing store, but, ****... in this economy give us a break on the product price instead of spending it on non-essential curved glass.

 

[GQB]

I do hope that the keep the cube and not go to a Louvre-style pyramid.
There's something really '2001 Monolith' about the cube that just grabs you when you first see it.

 

[GQB]

Same here, I live and work nearby and that place is a tourist attraction.. it's always so full in there with gawkers and tourists buying ipod shuffles just to say they bought something there. Then you have a bunch of kids from nearby schools or just hanging out in the summer, so playing with any of the machines before making a purchase is nearly impossible.

So go to the one in the Meat Packing district.
5th Ave store is meant to be a zoo. Its a landmark.

 

[chequepoint]

They need to swap it out with a low-iron starfire type glass.. that nasty green tint is ugly.

 

[dccorona]

so let me straight...I'm about to go to new york for the first time in my life, and the apple cube isn't even gonna be there? Wow, that's awesome

 

[Mac'nCheese]

so let me straight...I'm about to go to new york for the first time in my life, and the apple cube isn't even gonna be there? Wow, that's awesome

Still a lot of non-apple related place to visit.

 

[room237]

They need to redesign the entrance. You have people standing around that MUST experience the elevator as if it were a ride at Disney, so they block the flow of the stairs while they wait. The congestion is mind boggling at times. I hate to blame the tourists, but they don't seem to understand the flow of things there.

 

[room237]

so let me straight...I'm about to go to new york for the first time in my life, and the apple cube isn't even gonna be there? Wow, that's awesome

It's an Apple store. It's not the Louvre.

Check out the Met, it's on 5th ave. It's also quite nice.

 

[AppleScruff1]

This is truly news worthy. I wonder if they are painting any stores?