Limelight Marketplace to house more than 60 stores in landmark bldg.

The brainchild of fashion retailer Jack Menashe, the historic 163-year-old venue in Manhattan's Flatiron district will transform into a three-story shopper's paradise. Inspired by the U.K.'s Covent Garden, Dover Street Market and Burlington Arcade, the Limelight Marketplace will showcase a "festival of shops" with elaborate facades and varied designs that invoke the feeling of a stroll down a European street. "Limelight Marketplace delivers an innovative shopping experience for customers who have 'seen it all,' and an unprecedented opportunity for visionary merchants" said CEO, Jack Menashe. "Our plan offers something for everyone - with affordable fashion, unique artwork and home décor, a candy shop that would impress Willy Wonka himself, and an organic market offering the ultimate selection of international specialty foods including caviar, cheese, foie gras and pate, gourmet chocolates, oils and vinegars, specialty meats and many other gastronomic delights." Limelight Marketplace will create hundreds of jobs by housing over 60 shops from the "who's who" in New York City's world of fashion, accessories, food, design, art, beauty and more. Menashe commissioned renowned designer James Mansour to restore the magnificent building back to its original glory and create a space that is exciting visually, sensually, spiritually, and intellectually. Limelight Marketplace is located at 656 Avenue of the Americas. The architect is Todd Zwigard Architects.