setting industry standards

For more than 30 years, Williams Jackson Ewing has conceptualized and developed a variety of urban retail concepts in cities and towns around the world and has restored some of the nation's most treasured landmarks, including Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Their creative work and innovative style have greatly influenced the retail industry, whether mixed-use, urban, waterfront or neighborhood center, over the past 30 years.

WJE's founding partners, Michael Ewing, Roy Williams and Lehr Jackson, started their careers with The Rouse Company, as the team for the 1974-1978 redevelopment of Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston. Ewing also served as the Director of Leasing for the development of Harborplace in Baltimore's Inner Harbor from 1978 to 1980.

Today, under the direction of Michael Ewing, the company is recognized as an authority in retail development trends worldwide. They have been recognized internationally for landmark urban projects like Union Station and CityCenterDC - both in Washington, D.C. - and Bowery Place in New York City. The company is also known for classical regional centers like Suburban Square in Philadelphia and Belvedere Square in Baltimore.

rejuvenating, restoring, redefining retail

Breathing new life into some of the country's most prized historic landmarks, the company is recognized for its expertise in transforming the retail industry with concepts and design intuition that enable historic, obsolete and unproductive properties to become profitable destinations. Guided by their underlying belief that there is economic and social value to be found in revitalizing urban properties and redefining the way consumers shop, Williams Jackson Ewing has focused its energy on pioneering cutting edge retail concepts and designs. Their work has earned them a Presidential Design Achievement Award from the U.S. Federal Government for their involvement at Grand Central Terminal and awards from both the Nation Trust for Historic Preservation and the Urban Land Institute for their role at Union Station.

developing destinations that work

Retail merchandising and leasing are the hallmarks of Williams Jackson Ewing. The company's philosophy is simple: since each project has a personality of its own, each project should be merchandised, developed and leased to reflect the spirit of the property and to meet the needs of the community. Each project is developed from start to finish by creating a tailored vision, then interrelating architecture, design and retail functions to make it a reality.

The company has pioneered a variety of retail concepts, including the use of traditional food markets and restaurants as project anchors (Grand Central Terminal), the creation of lifestyle retail centers by recycling historic landmarks, like Suburban Square, on Philadelphia's "mainline" and transit-oriented development in national landmarks, such as Union Station in Washington, DC. WJE has also played key roles in the development and leasing of Sansom Common (now University Square) at the University of Pennsylvania and Palmer Square in Princeton, both models today in campus retail. Employing a critical mass of unique dining and specialty shops to serve as a project's primary draw has forged strong relationships with local neighborhoods and broad appeal on an international basis.

creating partnerships

The company operates as developer, in partnership or under consulting arrangement with a variety of private and public organizations. As development partner, the company works with developers and public sector authorities, playing ongoing, active leadership roles in retail development, merchandising and leasing on projects like Grand Central Terminal, in New York and Union Station, in Washington, DC.

As development agent, the company works with developers, universities and public agencies, providing retail leasing and merchandising expertise on projects like Bowery Place in New York, Industry City in Brooklyn, New York, Harbourfront Centre in Toronto and CityCenterDC in Washington, DC.

As consultant, the company has been tapped to work on projects around the world from Russia to Japan, as well as American destination masterplans such as Lincoln Road in Miami, Colonial Williamsburg, Downtown Washington DC's East End and the East Baltimore Development Initiative at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.