FIRST FALL SAMPLE SALE AT THE WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bethany L. Carter

Photo Opportunity Marketing Director

FIRST FALL SAMPLE SALE AT THE WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER

One Day Sale Allows Consumers to Shop Directly From Showrooms

[Washington, DC – September 20, 2004] – The Washington Design Center will hold its first Fall Sample Sale open to the public on Saturday, October 2, 2004 from 9am to 5pm in 20 participating showrooms of the building. Showrooms will sell furniture, floor coverings, lighting and accessories directly off the showroom floor at prices reduced up to 75% and more. Additionally, many of the showrooms of the Kitchen Bath and Building Design Center will participate this year on the Center’s concourse level. This collection of 12 showrooms is open to the public six days a week for direct purchasing. The Washington Design Center is located at 300 D Street, SW and is accessible by Metro on the Orange or Blue line at the Federal Center SW Metro stop located below the building. Hourly parking will be available during the Sample Sale in The Washington Design Center’s garage located behind the Center on Virginia Ave. The bi-annual Sample Sale is an exclusive opportunity to buy direct from some of the world’s most extraordinary resources.

The Washington Design Center is open to the public for daily browsing in selected home furnishings showrooms and in the twelve retail shops of the Kitchen, Bath & Building Design Center. Twice each year, the general public is invited to buy floor samples directly from the showrooms. This fall’s sale will feature hundreds of items that can be purchased directly from the following showrooms: AmericanEye, Brown Jordan, Century Designer Showroom, DSA Associates, Design Center Carpets, Ferguson Bath Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Galleria Carpets, Foundation, Haifa, Henredon Interior Design Showroom, J. Lambeth & Co., Jayson 15, M2L, Michael-Cleary, Odegard, PFM Rosecore, Robert Allen/Beacon Hill, Royal Intercontinental, and more. Included are a variety of home furnishings, including sofas and upholstered pieces, case goods such as bookcases, dressers, side tables, dining tables and accent pieces; area rugs, runners and room sized rugs; lamps, lighting, bath fixtures, cabinetry displays and accessories.

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Washington Design Center

Fall Sample Sale

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Admission to the Sample Sale is free and hourly garage parking will be available for the public sale on Saturday, October 2nd. For further information, phone 202-646-6118.

The Washington Design Center has many ways that a consumer can connect with a designer to make purchases from showrooms during regular non-Sample Sale days, including the Designer Index, a collection of oversized portfolio panels that offer selections and information on contacting many of the top design professionals in the area. Located on the Concourse level, this free service is available for viewing Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm and on Saturdays from 10am-3pm. Additionally, the Dial-a-Designer program helps consumers and visitors gain answers and insight to design questions, make a single purchase and find out more about working with a design professional. Visit the front desk of The Washington Design Center and one of the on-call designers will provide a complimentary half-hour consultation. Future plans or purchases would be negotiated with the design professional directly. And, on September 24^th, The Washington Design Center will open the Fall 2004 Gracious Room Design House with partner Southern Accents magazine. Full details on this or any of The Washington Design Center’s other programs are available by calling 202/646-6118 or by visiting The Washington Design Center website at www.merchandisemart.com/dcdesigncenter.

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Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is an asset and property management firm, which specializes in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space, and much of its staff’s efforts are devoted to the marketing and promotion of these spaces on a day-to-day basis. Expert in trade show management and production, MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.

MMPI prides itself on the vision and ability to foster and sustain productive partnerships crucial to the vitality of the industries it serves.

MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart, Chicago Apparel Center, and 33 North Dearborn in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building in New York; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Washington Office Center in Washington, D.C. In addition to its properties, MMPI produces and manages trade and consumer shows in Chicago; New York City; Los Angeles; Atlanta, Ga.; Washington, D.C.; High Point, N.C.; Toronto, Ont., Canada; and Edmonton, Alta., Canada.

Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in Paramus, New Jersey, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado Realty Trust is led by Steven Roth, Chairman of the Board/Chief Executive Officer, Michael Fascitelli, President, and Joseph E. Hakim, Chief Operating Officer. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.