Shawmut Design and Construction, located at 3 East 54th St., has completed Equity Office Properties' The CUBES at 120 West 42nd St. Designed by Moed de Armas & Shannon Architects, the project creates 100,000 s/f of new retail space between Sixth Ave. and Times Sq. Construction began in November 2011 and was recently finished. It included the demolition of an existing six-story building followed by construction of a new ground-up, multi-level retail building. During the project, Shawmut was challenged with digging 32 ft. below street level adjacent to an operational MTA subway tunnel to create a sturdy foundation, and modifying a public park. "There is a high demand for new retail space away from the traditional Fifth Ave. shopping district, as more brands begin to scout locations lower on Fifth Ave. or closer to Times Sq.," said William Pisani, vice president of Shawmut. "As the preferred builder for many of the world's most exclusive brands, Shawmut is able to partner with developers such as Equity to construct ground-up buildings to meet their needs, all while working in Manhattan's busiest neighborhoods." The project's signature glasswork - a Shawmut hallmark - is reminiscent of a number of its other challenging area projects including the Apple Cube on 5th Ave. and the Apple Store on Broadway. Shawmut's New York office has also built for some of the most celebrated names in fashion and hospitality including: Burberry, Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Yves St. Laurent, Tom Ford, Lacoste, Barney's, Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza, Nobu, Le Bernardin and A Voce to name a few. Equity Office Properties is now sub-dividing the building to lease it to several yet-to-be-named retail tenants. Shawmut works with clients in many sectors including: academic, commercial, corporate interiors, cultural and historic, hotels, restaurants, retail, spas and health clubs, and sports venues. The company has made an impact locally having completed more than 500 projects in the New York area while growing its revenue more than 30% in 2012. The company recently opened a west coast office in Los Angeles and is working with long-term clients including Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zenga, Tory Burch and Del Frisco's.