“With Building 2 (West Wing), we are sending a continued message – in a more grand way – of the size and scope of all the product collections and myriad products and resources that are presented here,” said Jeff Portman, Americasmart president.

When the new wing opens, the Americasmart complex will reach 7.7 million square feet.

When the decision was made three years ago to build the new wing, market officials said, Americasmart stood at about 5 million square feet and had no room to grow. “This gives us the opportunity to grow, but it's a controlled growth,” Portman said, referencing the fact that the new wing was built so that additional floors could be built atop the existing 10 — for a total of 18 if needed.

A major emphasis of the new wing is the top two floors, the space set aside for Living.Outdoor/Indoor. The Gardens, as it is now known. Garden and casual manufacturers have moved from their previous locations on the 14th and 15th floors of Building 1 into the area, comprising 170,000 square feet.

The Gardens is divided into two floors, each with a distinct theme. Floor 9 is themed to look like an Italian town, while Floor 10 is designed to evoke thoughts of the American lowcountry in cities such as Charleston and New Orleans.

A two-story fiber-optic waterfall will connect the two floors in dramatic fashion.

“We've stayed with the wandering pathways but made it easier to navigate,” said Karen Greaber, vice president of The Gardens leasing for Americasmart. “We hired a team of ex-Disney Imagineers to re-create The Gardens venue. We added design elements scattered throughout the floor to help with buyer traffic, and we've got a great group of exhibitors coming in to show with us.”

During non-market times last year, a team of 10 showroom managers wrote orders for nearly $3 million worth of home and furnishings product on The Gardens former floors, Greaber said, adding year-round value to the exhibitors. That service will continue in the new space, she said.

In Building 1, floors 14 and 15 are being remodeled and will reopen for next July's markets. Century Furniture is a new tenant in that space, and existing Americasmart exhibitors such as Currey & Company, Chelsea House and others will be able to expand their showroom space once the new floors are opened.

Area rug showrooms will remain on floors 3 to 6 of Building 1. The second floor of Building 1 will have temporary exhibits for area rugs and furniture. Because of the new space, as well as the opening of many new hotels in the downtown Atlanta area, the gift and home markets and the area rug show will run during the same timeframe for the first time in January. The gift and home furnishings market is scheduled for Jan. 6-14, while the rug market will run Jan. 7-12.

“We're excited about putting these markets together,” said Chas Sydney, senior vice president of area rugs and external business development. “It's still the largest display of rugs anywhere in the world.”

Also in Building Two West Wing, the first several floors will be dedicated to temporary exhibits, including the juried High Design area on the first floor. The Gourmet floors include a high-end, TV-style kitchen, which will play host to cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs throughout the January show. Other plans for the show include an area of housewares exhibitors, a first for Atlanta. Also new is an area in Building 3, License & Design, which will be open Jan. 9-11. This product collection creates a one-stop destination for exhibitors seeking new artisan talent and fresh design options for new product applications.

Portman said that despite the current economic climate, Americasmart was up to the challenge and needed to be aggressive to stay in a power position.

“I think from the standpoint of the thinking about our business from a strategic perspective, there's no question that there's a lot of pressure in the current environment. But we see it as a tremendous opportunity,” he said. “We've been in this business for 52-plus years. We are not new at this game, and we're very sensitive to the market economy and market conditions. We're doing everything in our power to make Atlanta economical and to make Atlanta a resource that cannot be missed.”

Portman said Americasmart is adding value to its exhibitors and its retailers through its education programs, expansion of product categories, adding new categories and improving the visual presentation in the market so that buyers can take home merchandising tips from each show.

With the expansion, Americasmart will include more than 2,000 permanent showrooms and more than 5,000 temporary booths, market officials said.

“We are in the business of trying to provide (retailers) a competitive edge,” Portman said. “We think we are well-positioned to do that.”

Building Two West Wing opens in January.