Polo/Ralph Lauren Flagship Store
New York, NY
The former Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House was designed by Kimball & Thompson in the style of the early French Renaissance chateaux of the Loire Valley. Completed in 1898, the limestone mansion was never occupied as an individual residence; it remained vacant until 1920 when it was converted to commercial use with multiple tenants. The building was designated as an individual landmark by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1976.
Li · Saltzman served as the Architect for the former mansion’s rehabilitation and adaptive-use as the flagship store for Polo/Ralph Lauren. The project included re-establishment of a central entrance, restoration of the slate roof, limestone facades, wood windows and doors, decorative plaster and woodwork; as well as the addition of two infill floors, installation of new elevators, and mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire-safety systems. The project received the 1986 Restoration Award from the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts.
Designation: NYC Individual Landmark
