CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, 2016-Mar-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced contractors are hired for building its future Columbus, Ohio store. Pending remaining permits, this progress allows the project to continue on track for site work to commence, with groundbreaking this spring and a store opening in Summer 2017, increasing the Swedish retailer’s presence in the Midwestern United States with its second store in Ohio. Until the store opens, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores in: West Chester, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; and Canton, MI; or online at IKEA-USA.com.
IKEA has chosen Pepper Construction to serve as Construction Manager for the IKEA Columbus site work and store development project. Having a strong Midwestern presence and a regional office based in Dublin, Ohio, Pepper is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm that has constructed several IKEA stores throughout the years. Other Ohio firms assisting with this project are: real estate brokerage CBRE for site selection support; Smith & Hale, LLC for local land use counsel; CESO, Inc. for civil engineering; KJWW Engineering Consultants for structural; Geotechnical Consultants Inc. for geotechnical services; Davey Resource Group and Stantec for environmental and ecological services; and GreenbergFarrow as project architect. Additionally, ACIES Engineering is providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing services.
“With a contractor onboard, plans can proceed towards opening the future IKEA Columbus,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA U.S. president. “This store will provide a more convenient IKEA shopping experience for current and potential customers throughout Central Ohio, complementing our Cincinnati-area store and growing our Midwestern U.S. presence.”
IKEA Columbus will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 450-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, approximately 300 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Columbus also will provide significant annual property and sales tax revenue for local governments and schools.
Located in the Polaris Centers of Commerce development, approximately 15 miles north of downtown Columbus, the 354,000-square-foot future IKEA store and its 1,200 parking spaces will be built on 33 acres at the northeastern corner of Interstate-71 and Gemini Place. Store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. IKEA also will evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 380 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 41 in the U.S. IKEA has been included in rankings of “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
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