NEW YORK—A brand new floor plan, one which draws on inspiration from New York City as an acclaimed fashion destination, was unveiled on Friday for next year’s 2009 edition of International Vision Expo East by executives of Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council.

The new format presents a clearer, more symmetrical layout, featuring six “major” aisles and crossroads named after legendary Manhattan avenues and streets like “Madison Avenue,” and “Fifth Avenue.” The show will also be organized by categories of exhibitors, in color-coded areas, with frame, sunwear and accessories companies spanning much of the main new space, the lens and technology processing exhibitors collectively moved to a space nearby and the medical/scientific exhibitors and pavilions in their own area, comprising a more uniform booth organization throughout the main floor.

While the Underground will continue to be a featured space on level one of New York’s Javits Center, the Expo East new 2009 format will relocate the Galleria to a new space and environment on that same level. The mezzanine space will be redeveloped for special conferences and events.

“These sweeping changes are the results of extensive research and interviews with buyers and attendees of Vision Expo, and from discussions among our exhibitors about how the show could be even more productive for them and their customers,” said Tom Loughran, Reed Exhibitions event director. “We want to enhance the navigation of the show for all our attendees,” he added.

The show will also feature a new electronic locator system, stationed throughout the floor, to help visitors find booths and illustrate clear directions to get to those locations.

Gerard Santinelli, the chairman of The Vision Council’s show committee, noted, “This new plan is the result of years of discussion and effort among the members of the committee and the organizers of Vision Expo. It is a huge accomplishment and an exciting one for our industry to take the show to the next level. Vision Expo, like the city of New York, is a wonderful destination and the theme and clear-cut organization of the new layout will reflect a lot of excitement.”

Loughran added that 80 percent of the new floor space is sold out and that the new configuration will give great opportunities to all exhibitors.

Scott noted that materials and renderings of the new Galleria area are on exhibit at the show office at this weekend’s show here.

The 2009 International Vision Expo East show will be held March 27 to 29; the show’s education conference begins Thursday March 26. Loughran said that Reed is in discussions with the Javits Center now about the possibility of opening the exhibit floor for the afternoon of March 26 though no final decision on that point had been made at presstime.