When value meets vision: How the Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods became the “Wonder of it All” for shoppers - by James Fuda

James Fuda, Alfred
Benesch
& Co.

Do you have a favorite retailer? Think about why you shop there. Is location a factor? Price? Selection? Service? Customers choose to spend their money at stores that understand what they want – not only in terms of merchandise, but where value is concerned. For some, good value means a good price. For others, it means good quality or service. Successful retailers increase revenues by understanding their customer’s needs. This approach leads to brand loyalty and ultimately casts the retailer in the role of trusted advisor.

Selecting a design professional has a lot in common with choosing a retailer. With many qualified engineering companies to choose from, clients are increasingly investing in value firms who are strategically focused on the retailer’s business needs. These trusted advisors go beyond traditional “nuts and bolts” engineering. They are at the table, thinking strategically, collaborating and working with the client from a project’s inception through opening day, to create a responsive, fully realized design.

The Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods was envisioned by Sheldon Gordon, founder of Gordon Group Holdings, LLC, as the nation’s first high-end designer outlet experience at a casino. Gordon and his partner, Matt Armstrong, viewed the project as a win-win opportunity for retailers, shoppers, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN), the owners of the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.  With a collection of premium brands under one roof, Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods would set the standard for world-class outlet shopping.

As a pioneer of the “Entertainment Retail Center,” Gordon understood the importance of building a project team that could make his vision a reality. Benesch’s experience as the MPTN’s civil engineer for dozens of projects in and around the reservation, including the Rainmaker Expansion, Fox Tower projects, and the award-winning Route 2 Roadway & Corridor Improvement project, provided valuable site and MPTN systems knowledge to guide the Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods project from concept to reality. The construction manager, Standard Builders (SBI), brought similar MPTN knowledge to the table while the New York architectural firm, Design Development, drew from their previous experience working with the Gordon Group to design a facility which would capture the vision of the new retail center. This assembled team became trusted advisors to the Gordon Group and Tanger Outlets.

The 325,000 s/f retail development connects Grand Pequot Tower to Fox Tower by spanning Trolley Line Boulevard in two locations. The new facility features designer outlet retailers, including Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Coach and Michael Kors, among others.

Building the elevated shopping mall over a live roadway and rocky terrain posed several design challenges.  Benesch’s knowledge of the area, understanding of the client’s goals, and experience working with MPTN allowed us to meet an aggressive design schedule.  The scope of work included feasibility services for building location, including consideration of access requirements; survey; and traffic and civil engineering.

Benesch’s participation in discussions with the project team provided an opportunity to work through issues driving the job as they related to the new outlet center and maintaining continuous operation of the existing facilities. We examined the original idea, provided strategies for resolving project and MPTN concerns, developed concepts, and collaborated to shape the vision into a workable plan. By focusing on what was important to them.

Not only did Standard Builders successfully manage construction to meet the planned delivery date of May 21, 2015, but they played a crucial role during the design phase to evaluate impacts to schedule, costs and ongoing operations of the resort. Benesch and SBI’s collaborative approach throughout much of the design enabled a smooth fast-tracked approach to both design and construction phases.

Building client relationships is as important to an engineering project as providing good design and engineering.  Being at the table during the development of the project set the relationship-building process in motion. The ensuing collaborative partnership established the project’s key value propositions: providing an increased customer base for the MPTN,  a premiere location for the Tanger Outlets’ first collection of premium brands under one roof, and the fulfillment of the Gordon Group’s vision of the nation’s first high-end designer outlet experience at a casino.

With the successful launch of Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods complete, the Gordon Group/Benesch relationship continues. We are thrilled to be working together on additional venues with the Gordon Group. These venues embrace their pioneering development philosophy. For professionals, being at the table as the client’s trusted advisor – contributing and influencing outcomes collaboratively – is a key factor for a firm’s continued growth and success.

James Fuda, PE, is vice president of Alfred Benesch & Company, Glastonbury, Conn.