About

Brookfield Place is a premier retail and dining destination in downtown Manhattan, directly across from the 9/11 Memorial. In 2013, the complex underwent a $250 million renovation — but the project faced real headwinds: a competing ground-up retail development across the street and a lingering worries that shoppers wouldn’t visit the complex. Soozan Baxter Consulting was engaged from 2013–2015 as a luxury consultant on the retail lease-up efforts, helping transform Brookfield Place into a luxury retail destination. She was an integral part of the legal negotiations, spearheaded the strategy for retail public relations, and helped define the marketing and tourism initiatives. Upon the center’s opening in March 2015, the project’s leasing success was celebrated in WWD, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, among other esteemed publications.

Continuing to Set the Stage for Success

Soozan had helped bring Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Tory Burch, Omega, The Cos Bar, and other marquee retailers to the project. Soozan led the strategy to expand luxury brands from midtown to downtown — well before they opened stores in Soho and the Meatpacking districts. In early 2019, the Brookfield Place team called on her a second time to help reinvigorate the center. In a short time, she was able to help transform a temporary Louis Vuitton store into an expanded, permanent store that opened in 2020. Following Soozan’s last engagement, Brookfield Place decided to pivot from a luxury mission and focus more on athleisure and a lifestyle brands leasing strategy.