(Above) Merchandise Mart on October 24, 2006.

January 7, 2014 – Home furnishings both casual and luxurious will remain a focus of Merchandise Mart. The chief operating officer for Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc, reiterated that on Tuesday while announcing new senior managers.

Over the past two years, home furnishing showrooms have been consolidated on four floors of Merchandise Mart and now take up more than 700,000 square feet. The Mart’s design center was reorganized, a new “design center resource lounge” was built on the 14th floor, and mobile telephone coverage was improved throughout the building.

“Our commitment to the home furnishings, casual furnishings, and LuxeHome industries, as well as the other industries that The Mart serves, remains strong,” said Myron Maurer (left), Mart COO for the past year.

Katherine Flaherty, Vice President of Building Products and Special Projects, will oversee leasing of residential home furnishings. Senior Vice President Susan McCullough will be in charge of international casual furnishings and accessories.

Julia Chappell will continue to lead the Mart’s residential home furnishings marketing department. Byron Morton will stay as vice president of leasing. Madeleine Tullier continues as sales director for casual furnishing shows.

John Brennen, who had been with Merchandise Mart for 26 years, most recently as an executive vice president, announced last week he will be leaving.

38,500 people visit Merchandise Mart every business day. The Mart offers nine floors of permanent showrooms, hosts 20 major trade and consumer shows and hundreds of meetings and special events. It is owned by Vornado Realty Trust, which is based in New York.