Lifestyle

Not Everything Is Bigger in Texas: Chick-fil-A Plans Biggest Store in NYC

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Chick-fil-A announced recently that they are in the process of building a new store in Manhattan, New York. At more than 12,000 square feet, the new Chick-fil-A restaurant located at 144 Fulton Street will be the largest the company has ever built, with five levels, including a rooftop terrace that will offer unimpeded views of Freedom Tower. The store is slated to open in 2018.

Letting the Light In

Chick-fil-A

Photo: Facebook/ChickfilA

The new location has several uniquely NYC challenges to circumvent though. One of these challenges is natural lighting. In the middle of a city with skyscrapers on every side, natural lighting is hard to come by so Chick-fil-A is adding a large window to the back of the restaurant. Since Chick-fil-A has the whole building to work with, they are bringing in natural light through a skylight.

To work within the constraints of the dense cityscape, the building will be five stories tall and only 15 feet wide. The five levels will include two levels of kitchen space for food prep, and three levels of dining areas to seat 140 guests. The building will also boast a rooftop deck with a view like none other in the city. From the rooftop, guests will be able to take in unimpeded views of Freedom Tower. That will never change, Nathaniel Cates, design manager for restaurant development at Chick-fil-A says.

“The Fulton Street metro station is right next door to the restaurant, and no one will ever build on top of it,” he said. “That means our guests will always have the same views of Freedom Tower. That was another advantage of the building that we were grateful to have,” says Cates.

Paying Homage to Hallowed Ground

Freedom Tower

Photo: Pixabay/sometimesfay

With the restaurant sitting under half a mile from Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial, Cates’ team wanted to respectfully pay homage to the significance of the location. The entire building underwent reconstruction prior to Chick-fil-A arriving on site, so the team had a blank canvas to mold. They drew designs for the front of the building to be stacked fully with glass windows, with elements built into the façade that give a subtle impression of the Twin Towers – one on each side of the restaurant. It’s a feature that acknowledges the significance of location.

To learn more about the progress of the largest Chick-fil-A, follow them on Facebook or visit their website.