IKEA in St. Louis

beer city · PostJul 11, 2013#6262013-07-11T19:06+00:00

Alex Ihnen wrote:
beer city wrote:
roger wyoming II wrote:^ You mean a developer will be paying for associated street improvements? That sounds communistic! Or Swedish!
The Swedes evidently do not understand capitalism
All big blue evidence to the contrary.

Oh you know capitalism where you get the government to directly subsidize your profit, those socialists don't know anything about that.

blah, blah free market, blah, blah boot straps

Alex Ihnen · PostJul 11, 2013#6272013-07-11T20:42+00:00

OT - just had a Euro explain to me how Socialist American pro sports leagues are - worst team gets first draft choice, luxury taxes, etc. etc...and yet somehow we love it. 'Merica!

shadrach · PostJul 11, 2013#6282013-07-11T21:50+00:00

OT: I think it was in Chuck Klosterman's Eating The Triceratops where he points out the NFL based on a communist model and yet it is the most American of sports.

Anyway, obviously we're all checking this thread for official announcement. Alex, as you seems to be in the know and rather coy, it seems there are a number of projects going on in Cortex beside the rumoured IKEA. There rumours of hotel(s) and additional office space, other retail, etc.

I'm wondering, is there going to be one major Cortex announcement once all the ducks are in a row—IKEA, offices, hopefully an aloft Hotel, or will these announcements come piece-meal as they are ready? Not sure if anyone knows, just thinking and daydreaming. There's so much potential and whispers going on there, that after (hopefully) IKEA, I know we'll be looking for the next thing.

Alex Ihnen · PostJul 12, 2013#6292013-07-12T05:27+00:00

^ Piecemeal. What I find amazing is that it seems several developments are coming independent of one another. It might seem like a developer would look at CORTEX plans and bet that residential would do well, but from my discussions it seems that 2-3 independent projects all have financing regardless of whether there's future development in the area. What this means, I think, is that there could be serious momentum once more people realize what's happening here.

roger wyoming II · PostJul 12, 2013#6302013-07-12T13:16+00:00

While not Cortex proper, I'd love to hear an announcement on redevelopment for the Federal Mogul site. Talk about a key property.

goat314 · PostJul 12, 2013#6312013-07-12T15:35+00:00

I have a gut feeling that it will not take the full 25 year time frame to fully build out Cortex and we will be looking at other redevelopment areas in the city, sooner than later. I would love to see SLU get progressive at Grand Station.

roger wyoming II · PostJul 12, 2013#6322013-07-12T15:53+00:00

Can there be any room in the cortex development to relocate the Swedish National Society Building? It could serve as a museum and orientation building into Swedish culture and their mysterious ability to captivate Americans with assemble-it-yourself furniture?

JNOnSTL · PostJul 12, 2013#6332013-07-12T15:59+00:00

roger wyoming II wrote:Can there be any room in the cortex development to relocate the Swedish National Society Building? It could serve as a museum and orientation building into Swedish culture and their mysterious ability to captivate Americans with assemble-it-yourself furniture?

Only if L's Beauty Supply moves with it.

rawest1 · PostJul 12, 2013#6342013-07-12T16:04+00:00

JNOnSTL wrote:
roger wyoming II wrote:Can there be any room in the cortex development to relocate the Swedish National Society Building? It could serve as a museum and orientation building into Swedish culture and their mysterious ability to captivate Americans with assemble-it-yourself furniture?
Only if L's Beauty Supply moves with it.

Also only if a Swedish (Horse)Meatball Sandwich joint moves with it.

roger wyoming II · PostJul 12, 2013#6352013-07-12T16:35+00:00

Swedish (Horse)Meatballs are delicious! They pair well with the classic Saint Louis Brain Sandwich. Culinary delights!

Alex Ihnen · PostJul 12, 2013#6362013-07-12T18:53+00:00

^coming. All 4 corners are going big and more on surrounding blocks. Now this may take 5 years before completed, but it's transformative.

jem79c · PostJul 12, 2013#6372013-07-12T20:05+00:00

roger wyoming II wrote:Swedish (Horse)Meatballs are delicious!

Oh man, I was on a plane back to the States from Spain the day after this story broke - two meal options, rice/veggies or pasta with meatballs. I looked at the guy next to me, smiled with a little chuckle and ordered the rice/veggies - he ordered the meatballs... I figured he either knew and didn't care or was blissfully ignorant, and I wasn't about to burst his bubble.

Presbyterian · PostJul 13, 2013#6382013-07-13T01:17+00:00

Alex Ihnen wrote:^All 4 corners are going big and more on surrounding blocks.

So ... are you talking about:

1. Ikea on the SW corner (or a block south),
2. Target on SE corner,
3. The student apartments on NE corner; and,
4. New Google tower anchoring it all on NW corner?

And where will the hotel go?

Just asking. I know nothing. I'm just thinking about going big.

MarkHaversham · PostJul 13, 2013#6392013-07-13T22:13+00:00

shadrach wrote:OT: I think it was in Chuck Klosterman's Eating The Triceratops where he points out the NFL based on a communist model and yet it is the most American of sports.

Eating the Dinosaur, in case anyone is interested.

shadrach · PostJul 14, 2013#6402013-07-14T01:22+00:00

^correct!
The cover has a Triceratops. Obviously more of a visual person than one to be bothered by pesky words.

And the chimera known as "the Google tower" is obviously going downtown along the fiber optic line under Washington Avenue. (yes I watched the video, nice to see you Alex.)

Chalupas54 · PostJul 20, 2013#6412013-07-20T02:02+00:00

So, IKEA will be coming?

Presbyterian · PostJul 20, 2013#6422013-07-20T02:25+00:00

^It appears highly probable. Nothing official until everyone has signed on the dotted line.

stlgasm · PostJul 20, 2013#6432013-07-20T11:57+00:00

What's in store for the Gerhart Block?

Chalupas54 · PostJul 25, 2013#6442013-07-25T03:26+00:00

Presbyterian wrote:^It appears highly probable. Nothing official until everyone has signed on the dotted line.

SIGN ON THE DAMN LINE. Now. Please. Thanks.

JuanHamez · PostJul 25, 2013#6452013-07-25T04:09+00:00

I have no doubt that whatever is planned for that area will be transformative. I just hope they put the grain elevator to good use. I want it lit up with a giant screen like those of times square. It would be highly visible from the highway too.

StlHawkeye · PostJul 25, 2013#6462013-07-25T13:03+00:00

This is a big thread.

Is there a link to a map showing what the current guess is for the area? I'm having trouble getting a good mental image as I'm not over there much.

Thanks.

innov8ion · PostJul 25, 2013#6472013-07-25T13:33+00:00

^ http://nextstl.com/central-corridor/ikea-notes

It's missing street names, but here goes...

Alex Ihnen · PostJul 25, 2013#6482013-07-25T14:20+00:00

^ There you go. Everything but the grain elevator is targeted for redevelopment. Here are two more images from a ULI development study of the area. They represent the clearest public images of what's coming. The big red box is labeled "500,000 sq ft retail":

StlHawkeye · PostJul 25, 2013#6492013-07-25T15:04+00:00

Spectacular. Much appreciated.

Presbyterian · PostJul 25, 2013#6502013-07-25T15:17+00:00

The Kansas City store will be about 350,000 s.f. -- although some new stores are closer to 500,000 s.f. What I find funny is that the building marked as 500,000 s.f. of retail is even shaped sort of like a typical Ikea. Maybe they could have colored it blue and yellow instead of red?

IKEA in St. Louis

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