90,000-Square-foot New York City Gallery by Restoration Hardware

Restoration Hardware (RH) opened a massive New York City gallery located in the heart of the Meatpacking District.

The store, which RH describes as a gallery, sells everything you’d need to furnish a home in a very high-end setting. The building–a historic landmark situated at the intersection of Little West 12th Street, Ninth Avenue, and Gansevoort Street–has been given new life, thanks to renowned architect and longtime partner of the brand, James Gillam of Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects. The spectacular edifice boasts a modern steel-and-glass structure that follows suit of the neighborhood’s industrial past.

“The Meatpacking District exhibits a spirit of innovation and irreverence, pointing New York City towards the future while respecting the integrity and authenticity of its past,” says RH Chairman & CEO Gary Friedman.

The gallery’s opening party had more than 1,500 people in attendance, according to Architectural Digest. In addition to the high-end furniture showrooms, RH New York has a coffee bar and a rooftop restaurant. It also has a team of in-house interior designers, art installations, marble sculptures, and a glass elevator at the center.

As explained in a company press release, “The Rooftop Restaurant offers Sodikoff’s seasonal, ingredient-driven menu in a space layered with glimmering crystal chandeliers, lush Asiatic jasmine, elegant banquette seating defined by Japanese boxwood hedging, and dozens of pleached London plane trees.”

“While most in our industry are closing or downsizing stores, we remain committed to our quest of revolutionizing physical retailing,” Friedman wrote in a letter to shareholders in September. “With three of our four restaurants trending to generate $5 million to $6 million annually, and our fourth at approximately $4 million, we believe RH Hospitality is now a proven scalable business, and we plan to increase the number of new Galleries with integrated restaurants, wine vaults, and barista bars going forward.”

Featuring breathtaking views of the Hudson River, One World Trade Center, and downtown Manhattan, the rooftop garden is complete with overhead canopies, garden rooms, and sculptural evergreens. It has a classic European quality with a chic and contemporary design, serving as a calming escape from the bustling city below.

Each floor was pretty similar to the last, with displays at the top of the staircase that represented what each floor carried, and design consultants waiting to assist you at each floor.

For the first time ever, RH has embedded its own in-house interior design firm, adding yet another exciting element to the retail experience. There are offices, as well as private client presentation rooms and VIP entrances.

New York Night, a six-story art installation of 120 hand-blown crystal teardrop pendants, is debuted at RH New York. The majestic, cascading work was created by renowned artist and designer Alison Berger, who wanted to engage viewers in “ever-changing pattern[s] of expansion and compression.”

“We were inspired by that spirit to create a retail experience worthy of such an iconic corner in what is arguably the most important city in the world,” Friedman concludes.