Sequence Development Announces Retail Partnership With Capsule Consulting
For Immediate Release
Contact Jeffrey Buell- 518-944-8674
Alessandra Bange-Hall- 518-505-0601
Sequence Development Announces Retail Partnership With Capsule Consulting
(January 15, 2015 TROY)- Sequence Development announced today that it has formed a partnership with Saratoga-based Piper Boutique founder Alessandra Bange-Hall to develop a host of retail operations throughout the Capital District. Bange-Hall has signed a lease to take on 2,600 square feet of space in downtown Schenectady at Sequence’s mixed-use development at the former Foster Hotel on State Street.
“We talk consistently about the importance of a building in the community and sticking to our mission of revitalizing our urban areas with unique, well thought out ideas,” said Sequence President and CEO Jeffrey Buell. “In Alessandra, we’ve found a dynamic personality, tireless worker, and visionary that we think jives greatly with what we are trying to accomplish. We are thrilled to find a partner that wants to be as aggressive changing things as we are.”
Bange-Hall opened Piper Boutique on Broadway in Saratoga in 2011, and has seen sales skyrocket each year. She has since opened similar brick and mortar concepts in Philadelphia and Chicago that have bucked big box competitors and become destinations because of the unique quality each offers. The Schenectady concept will be different than what she has previously undertaken.
“Downtown Schenectady’s revitalization is a movement I am excited to become a part of, as I consider it the perfect environment for a mixed use marketplace we crave,” Hall said. “The groundwork is in place for a full circle resurgence and Sequence Development plays a key role in bringing these ideas to life. We are excited to be a part of the Foster revitalization and so much more.”
In addition to the retail successes, Hall created the Illumin Group in 2014, which is committed to being a global developer of hardware and software peripherals that work with Apple products. She also owns an accessory showroom that sources to large volume retailers. Her most recent partnership with Kleinfeld Bridal has proven to be extremely successful and helped in expanding her knowledge base in the retail and wholesale market.
Metroplex Chair Ray Gillen said, “This is exactly the type of development we were hoping to see at the historic Foster Building. We appreciate Jeff Buell’s exicting plans for the building restoration and we welcome Alessandra and her exciting new retail concepts to Schenectady.”
Hall and Buell are close to settling on a concept for the Foster Building, but want to make certain it’s the right idea. Sequence is set to begin construction on the first phase of the Foster this winter. The $2.6 million project will rehabilitate 20,000 square feet of a former hotel in the heart of Downtown Schenectady. The second phase is an additional 25,000 square feet that will begin once the first phase mixed use project- which includes the retail, office and apartments, is stabilized. Sequence is purchasing the property from Metroplex Development Authority for $475,000. The construction financing is being provided by Capital Bank. BBL Construction Services will be the contractor.
“We’ve been talking about being all-in on Schenectady for a while now, with no pun intended,” Buell said. “We take very seriously the need to aggressively understand and pursue retail ventures that will work in this City and help continue its tremendous revitalization. Having partners on board to tackle this effectively is vitally important.”
Sequence recently finished a $2.4 million rehabilitation in Downtown Troy that included two new retail concepts- Slidin’ Dirty Restaurant and Enigma Co., a men’s clothing store. This street had been vacant of retail uses for several decades.
An announcement on the retail store is expected in February.