JT Magen Completes New Retail Experience for Cartier in Chicago

New Boutique for Luxury Retailer at 15 Oak Street Provides Elegant Customer Experience With Unique Structural and Design Features 

JT Magen, a national construction firm specializing in preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting across a variety of industries, announces the completion of a new two-story retail space for Cartier, a maker of luxury goods and jewelry, which recently relocated to 15 Oak Street in Chicago, IL.

JT Magen served as construction manager for the retail fit-out of Cartier’s new space, overseeing all aspects from budgeting, procurement of materials, managing subcontractors and conducting the final handover of the completed project. The firm also spearheaded the structural design for the base building requirements and those of the storefront. JT Magen collaborated with the Cartier team, Atmosphere Design Group, Henderson Engineering and Turner Townsend on the project.

“We are proud to celebrate the completion of this new luxury retail experience for Cartier in Chicago,” said Vincent Ryan, executive vice president at JT Magen. “Retail build outs are exciting and fast paced, and this project was no different. JT Magen leveraged its more than two decades of retail construction experience to deliver a high-quality project on time and on budget. Several stand-out structural design features will allow Cartier to shine at this new prime location.”

The new Cartier boutique features several unique design elements, including a stunning white oak radius staircase with curved steel stringers and textured glass, a custom internal elevator cab, beautiful plaster and goldleaf accents, and a luxurious array of finishes that seamlessly transition to create an all-encompassing experience for clients.

JT Magen also oversaw the transformation of the storefront’s façade – comprised of radius glass and custom imported travertine on aluminum honeycomb – that highlights Cartier’s prominent corner location on Oak and Rush. The project entailed an extension of the building’s existing frontage and required a creative structural solution to support the second-story façade during the manufacturing of the panels and custom glazing, all while ensuring proper layout for a perfect fit upon installation.

JT Magen has more than 30 years of experience in the retail construction sector, having built spaces for Hermes, Gucci, UGG, Barneys New York, Nordstrom, Microsoft, Target, Primark, TUMI, Nike, and Adidas, among others.