Somerset Collection
Encyclopedia
Somerset Collection is an upscale super-regional shopping mall
, with over 180 stores located in a Metro Detroit
commercial area on 2800 W. Big Beaver Rd. in Troy, Michigan
. Developed, managed and co-owned by The Forbes Company, the center is anchored by department stores Nordstrom
, Macy's
, Neiman Marcus
, and Saks Fifth Avenue
.
More than 180 additional specialty stores and restaurants are located at Somerset, including Tiffany & Co.
, Louis Vuitton
, Barneys Co-op, Crate and Barrel
, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, J. Alexander's
, Brio Tuscan Grille, McCormick & Schmick's
, The Capital Grille
, California Pizza Kitchen
, and the Peacock Café food court
.
Somerset Collection is among the most profitable malls in the United States not owned by a real estate investment trust
. Mall developers consider Somerset Collection to be among the top privately held mall properties in the United States with 2004 annual sales of about $600 million and sales per square foot at $620 compared to the national average of $341, well above the "Class A" threshold. Of the 100 most profitable malls, 76 are owned by real estate investment trusts. Fodor's
has described Somerset Collection as one of the top shopping malls in the United States.
In 1967, Saks Fifth Avenue
opened a stand-alone store on Big Beaver Road in the Detroit
suburb of Troy. In 1969, a one floor upscale "Somerset Mall" designed by Louis G. Redstone Associates would be built onto the existing Saks, anchored by it and a new Bonwit Teller
. Bonwit significantly renovated its store in 1988, only to close in 1990 after the chain went bankrupt. In 1991-1992 the center was renamed Somerset Collection, a second level was added, and Neiman Marcus
opened a store on the site of the razed Bonwit Teller. Completed in August 1992, Tiffany's
joined at this time as well.
Following the success of the revamped mall, co-owners Forbes/Cohen Properties and Frankel Associates opened an all new three-story $200 million 940000 sq ft (87,328.9 m²) expansion across Big Beaver Road in 1996, designed by JPRA Architects. Michigan
's first Nordstrom
and a Hudson's (now Macy's) anchored the new three-story expansion, named Somerset North. Joining the two malls is a 700 feet (213.4 m) enclosed bridge with a moving "Skywalk" over Big Beaver Road. Somerset North contains the Collection's food court, and both North and South feature upscale, independent restaurants. Somerset North's Grand Court features a full arched glass dome roof. JPRA incorporated a similar large arched glass ceiling into its design for The Mall at Millenia
, another upscale mall in Orlando, Florida
also owned by The Forbes Company.
The Somerset Collection contains 1450000 sq ft (134,709.4 m²) of gross leasable area
anchored by a 300000 sq ft (27,870.9 m²) Macy's, a 240000 sq ft (22,296.7 m²) Nordstrom, a 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²) Saks Fifth Avenue, and a 141000 sq ft (13,099.3 m²) Neiman-Marcus.
In December 2009, the Forbes Company which owns Somerset Collection acquired an adjacent site on which an open-air mixed use development known as the Pavilions of Troy
has been proposed.
and are made out of Amadeus granite
, which is a combination of charcoal gray with magenta streaks. The ball weighs more than 2 tons and is 40 inches in diameter. Because of the large surface area
, the ball requires very little water pressure to keep it aloft (around 10 to 15 pounds per square inch). The water falls into a black granite trough, which sits within a raised base of Mankato stone, a chop-top pyramid five feet high.
classes, special savings, visiting Santa, fashion shows, and other events.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, with over 180 stores located in a Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
commercial area on 2800 W. Big Beaver Rd. in Troy, Michigan
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
. Developed, managed and co-owned by The Forbes Company, the center is anchored by department stores Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
, and Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
.
More than 180 additional specialty stores and restaurants are located at Somerset, including Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
, Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
, Barneys Co-op, Crate and Barrel
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel is a 170+ store chain of American retail stores, based in Northbrook, Illinois, specializing in housewares, furniture , and home accessories. Its corporate name is Euromarket Designs, Inc. The company is wholly owned by Otto GmbH.-Founding:Gordon and Carole Segal opened the first...
, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, J. Alexander's
J. Alexander's
J. Alexander's is a casual dining restaurant chain headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.-History:The company was founded in 1971 as Volunteer Capital Corporation by three Nashville businessmen, Jack C. Massey, Earl Beasley, Jr. and John Neff, Jr. The first restaurant was opened in Nashville,...
, Brio Tuscan Grille, McCormick & Schmick's
McCormick & Schmick's
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants is an American seafood restaurant chain, based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1979, the publicly-traded company operates a total of 92 locations in North America under various brands. This includes seven Canadian locations that operate under the Boathouse...
, The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille is a national chain of upscale steakhouses; it currently has locations in twenty states and the District of Columbia. It is owned by Darden Restaurants, based in Orlando, Florida, a multi-brand restaurant operator that owns other restaurant brands such as Olive Garden and Red...
, California Pizza Kitchen
California Pizza Kitchen
California Pizza Kitchen , known within the food industry as CPK, is a casual dining restaurant chain that specializes in California-style pizza...
, and the Peacock Café food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
.
Somerset Collection is among the most profitable malls in the United States not owned by a real estate investment trust
Real estate investment trust
A real estate investment trust or REIT is a tax designation for a corporate entity investing in real estate. The purpose of this designation is to reduce or eliminate corporate tax. In return, REITs are required to distribute 90% of their taxable income into the hands of investors...
. Mall developers consider Somerset Collection to be among the top privately held mall properties in the United States with 2004 annual sales of about $600 million and sales per square foot at $620 compared to the national average of $341, well above the "Class A" threshold. Of the 100 most profitable malls, 76 are owned by real estate investment trusts. Fodor's
Fodor's
Fodor's is the world's largest publisher of English language travel and tourism information, and the first relatively professional producer of travel guidebooks...
has described Somerset Collection as one of the top shopping malls in the United States.
History
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
opened a stand-alone store on Big Beaver Road in the Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
suburb of Troy. In 1969, a one floor upscale "Somerset Mall" designed by Louis G. Redstone Associates would be built onto the existing Saks, anchored by it and a new Bonwit Teller
Bonwit Teller
Bonwit Teller was a department store in New York City founded by Paul Bonwit in 1895 at Sixth Avenue and 18th Street. In 1897 Edmund D. Teller was admitted to the partnership and the store moved to 23rd Street, East of Sixth Avenue...
. Bonwit significantly renovated its store in 1988, only to close in 1990 after the chain went bankrupt. In 1991-1992 the center was renamed Somerset Collection, a second level was added, and Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
opened a store on the site of the razed Bonwit Teller. Completed in August 1992, Tiffany's
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
joined at this time as well.
Following the success of the revamped mall, co-owners Forbes/Cohen Properties and Frankel Associates opened an all new three-story $200 million 940000 sq ft (87,328.9 m²) expansion across Big Beaver Road in 1996, designed by JPRA Architects. Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's first Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
and a Hudson's (now Macy's) anchored the new three-story expansion, named Somerset North. Joining the two malls is a 700 feet (213.4 m) enclosed bridge with a moving "Skywalk" over Big Beaver Road. Somerset North contains the Collection's food court, and both North and South feature upscale, independent restaurants. Somerset North's Grand Court features a full arched glass dome roof. JPRA incorporated a similar large arched glass ceiling into its design for The Mall at Millenia
The Mall at Millenia
The Mall at Millenia is an upscale contemporary indoor shopping mall located in Orlando, Florida just off of Interstate 4 at Conroy Road near the northern end of International Drive. Opened in 2002, it has over 150 stores, and is anchored by Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus...
, another upscale mall in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
also owned by The Forbes Company.
The Somerset Collection contains 1450000 sq ft (134,709.4 m²) of gross leasable area
Gross leasable area
Gross leasable area in the retail development industry is a term applied to shopping malls, lifestyle centers, outlet malls and other retail centers to indicate the amount of floor space available to be rented...
anchored by a 300000 sq ft (27,870.9 m²) Macy's, a 240000 sq ft (22,296.7 m²) Nordstrom, a 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²) Saks Fifth Avenue, and a 141000 sq ft (13,099.3 m²) Neiman-Marcus.
In December 2009, the Forbes Company which owns Somerset Collection acquired an adjacent site on which an open-air mixed use development known as the Pavilions of Troy
Pavilions of Troy
Pavilions of Troy was an approved proposed open-air shopping mall, office center, and residential area in the Metro Detroit suburb of Troy, Michigan, United States. However, no work is underway on this project concept...
has been proposed.
Fountains and sculptures
The mall contains a variety of unique including fountains and sculptures. Sorvikivi Floating Stone fountains are both found at Somerset Collection North in the Grand Court. They were made in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and are made out of Amadeus granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, which is a combination of charcoal gray with magenta streaks. The ball weighs more than 2 tons and is 40 inches in diameter. Because of the large surface area
Surface area
Surface area is the measure of how much exposed area a solid object has, expressed in square units. Mathematical description of the surface area is considerably more involved than the definition of arc length of a curve. For polyhedra the surface area is the sum of the areas of its faces...
, the ball requires very little water pressure to keep it aloft (around 10 to 15 pounds per square inch). The water falls into a black granite trough, which sits within a raised base of Mankato stone, a chop-top pyramid five feet high.
Special events
Special events are hosted at Somerset Collection by not only the mall but individual stores. These events include yogaYoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
classes, special savings, visiting Santa, fashion shows, and other events.
Technical details
| Building | Image | Levels | Area sq ft / m² |
Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset North |  |
3 | 940,000 / 87,300 | Both Somerset Collection North and Somerset Collection South feature distinctive design elements and architectural features. An exterior of Cranbrook brick and Mankato stone is combined with interior finishes of marble Marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for... , woods, a continuous skylight, fountains, stages for the performing arts and a number of original sculptures. Somerset Collection features over 180 shops and restaurants. Of the mall's 180 stores, 78 are unique to this center as the only Michigan location. Stores include Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,... , Gucci Gucci The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR... , Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:... , Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth... , Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor... , Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :... , Vera Bradley Vera Bradley Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. is an American design company best known for its soft, brightly patterned bags. The Fort Wayne, Indiana company produces a variety of products, including quilted cotton luggage, handbags and accessories. There are more than 3500 retailers of Vera Bradley and stand alone... , and Crate & Barrel. The third level of the Somerset Collection North features a grouping of ten eateries which are called The Peacock Cafes, with combined seating for 650 patrons. Somerset Collection North includes restaurants such as The Capital Grille, J. Alexander’s, and California Pizza Kitchen California Pizza Kitchen California Pizza Kitchen , known within the food industry as CPK, is a casual dining restaurant chain that specializes in California-style pizza... . The Bistro at Macy's and Nordstrom Cafe are also available. Somerset Collection South includes P. F. Chang's China Bistro P. F. Chang's China Bistro 'P. F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. is an American restaurant chain with headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.The chain was founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang. The restaurants serve American Chinese cuisine from a menu originally conceived and planned by chef... , Brio Tuscan Grille, McCormick & Schmick's McCormick & Schmick's McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants is an American seafood restaurant chain, based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1979, the publicly-traded company operates a total of 92 locations in North America under various brands. This includes seven Canadian locations that operate under the Boathouse... , and the Neiman Marcus Cafe. |
| Somerset South | 2 | 500,000 / 46,500 | ||
| Macy's |  |
3 | 300,000 / 27,900 | Somerset North |
| Nordstrom | 3 | 240,000 / 22,300 | Somerset North | |
| Neiman Marcus |  |
2 | 141,000 / 13,100 | Somerset South |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | 2 | 160,000 / 14,900 | Somerset South | |
| Moving skywalk |  |
2 | 700 sq ft (65 m²) Access level 2. |
Spanning Big Beaver Road and integrating the twin centers is a 700 feet (213.4 m), enclosed, climate-controlled Skywalk. One of the first skywalks of its kind in the country, the bridge features a moving sidewalk to move shoppers between Somerset Collection South and Somerset Collection North. |
| Somerset Collection (Gross leasable area Gross leasable area Gross leasable area in the retail development industry is a term applied to shopping malls, lifestyle centers, outlet malls and other retail centers to indicate the amount of floor space available to be rented... ) |
 |
2-3 | 1,450,000 / 134,700 | The mall offers over 180 stores and restaurants, valet parking Valet parking Valet parking is a parking service offered by some restaurants, stores, and other businesses, particularly in North America. In contrast to "self-parking", where customers find a parking space on their own, customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a valet... deliverable to either north or south malls, and a full service concierge staff. The concierge service at includes a variety of services such as gift wrapping, stroller and wheelchair rental, Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20... internet access at the Somerset North Grand Court, Peacock Cafe's, and Somerset South Rotundra. |
See also
- Architecture of metropolitan DetroitArchitecture of metropolitan DetroitThe architecture of metropolitan Detroit, Michigan continues to attract the attention of architects and preservationists alike. With one of the world's recognizable skylines, Detroit's waterfront panorama shows a variety of architectural styles. The city's historic Art Deco skyscrapers blend with...
- Economy of metropolitan DetroitEconomy of metropolitan DetroitThe economy of metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, is a key pillar of the economy of the United States. Its ten county area has a population of over 5.3 million, a workforce of 2.6 million, and about 247,000 businesses....
- Metro DetroitMetro DetroitThe Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
- Tourism in metropolitan DetroitTourism in metropolitan DetroitTourism in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan is a significant factor for the region's culture and for its economy, comprising nine percent of the area's two million jobs. About 15.9 million people visit Metro Detroit annually, spending an estimated $4.8 billion. Detroit is one of the largest American...