Tuesday, November 04, 2008, 03:00 pm

Apple pulls plug on plans for store near Empire State Building

By Slash Lane

Apple has canceled plans to open an triple-decker retail store near the Empire State Building in New York City at the request of chief executive Steve Jobs, the New York Post is reporting.

The Cupertino-based company signed a 15 year lease for 21-25 West 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues back in 2006 for nearly $6 million in annualized rent.

Previous reports indicated that Apple would build a two- or three-story retail store in 18,000 square foot space, which sits diagonally across from the Empire State Building.

Renderings published last October showcased a potential design for what would have been Manhattan's fourth flagship Apple shop -- a three-story outlet with glass and steel facade, marked with a large white Apple logo.

However, the New York Post now claims that Apple is looking to sublease the space, which has sat vacant for the past two years, beginning in April.

The paper cited an unnamed source as saying that Jobs looked at a run-down building across the street and said, "This is not for Apple."

The claims are similar to those published last year by the Forbes/Slatin Real Estate Report, which noted that Mac maker was having second thoughts about the location's "coolness" and was considering putting the site up for sublease.


"Apple had doubts about the compatibility of its leading-edge image with that of middle-America 34th St., at least as it currently stands," the report said. It noted that while retailers like Gap, American Eagle Outfitters and Forever 21 are happily situated along the row, "unfortunately, a lot of the old 34th Street -- third-rate tourist merchants and rip-off artists -- still remain."

Apple declined to comment on the latest report, saying it has made "no announcement about that location."