IKEA in St. Louis

roger wyoming II · PostDec 16, 2014#9762014-12-16T18:13+00:00

TheNewSaintLouis wrote:Their IKEA is going to be 269,000 square feet thats going to be a small IKEA compared to ours at 380,000. I was reading about sweetie pies isn't there something about the lease they signed or something that has the restaurant up in the air? If St.Louis does get a Peabody hotel what building do you think it should be and where should it be located? Isn't the former Millennium hotel suppose to be just that again once things fall into place with Lawrence group who's trying to purchase the building ?

The report was that Peabody was scouting historic buildings like their Memphis dame... so I would think something like the Jefferson Arms if they wanted to go big or Union Trust for something smaller. Nice thing about downtown is that there aren't a ton of options any longer. I suppose if they were willing to be part of a residential mixed-use chances would be better for something like the Jefferson Arms or even Railway Exchange.

I hadn't heard about Lawrence Group interest in the Millennium Hotel site... nextstl had a story though that the owners were looking at a relatively quick reactivation of the site and speculation was residential, I believe.

dweebe · PostDec 16, 2014#9772014-12-16T18:35+00:00

Looks like it's a 2 level store with no parking garage/all surface parking.

matguy70 · PostDec 16, 2014#9782014-12-16T18:47+00:00

I, personally, am glad we waited for the location of our Ikea. In saying, that all of Ikea's US stores are primarily in the suburban areas and are plopped down block stores (like KC, Cincy, Chicago, and more). In fact, I cannot think of any other Ikea stores in the US that are urban except for Brooklyn, Long Island, Atlanta and now St. Louis.

The fact that our Ikea is building in midtown, just minutes from downtown, CWE, and Clayton and in central city with a more "urban" formed (for what it is) store is amazing. The amount of suburban traffic to this area and the fact that Metro is adding a station in Cortex and is so accessible is great too.

The growth spur around the new Ikea is already in place, but the future is even more exciting for central city!

BTW: I also know that STL's store will be the largest in the Midwest/Midsouth when completed. Larger than Chicago's 2 suburban stores, KC, Minneapolis, Memphis.

roger wyoming II · PostDec 16, 2014#9792014-12-16T19:14+00:00

^ yeah, some design quibbles aside it is going to be a big plus for the city. Also, the mixed-use Silo Lofts eventually will reclaim some of the lost Forest Park Avenue frontage (which with Laclede Gas was never great to begin with) and the IKEA is bound to get the Midtown Station project off the ground.... that is where the city needs to stand its ground on a solid site plan.

wabash · PostDec 16, 2014#9802014-12-16T19:22+00:00

^^Also, this might sound crazy, but in many regards the St. Louis IKEA will be more "urban" than the Brooklyn location.

TheNewSaintLouis · PostDec 17, 2014#9812014-12-17T22:08+00:00

I think here we are very fortunate that IKEA decided to settle in the city so besides all the St.Louiser's whining i know this is a big plus not only for the region but for the entire city itself. I believe this store is so centrally located because folks in west county don't have a long trek to get to it and folks in the metro east wouldn't have a long journey either. If and when midtown stations becomes reality i really hope they take notes from the failed suburbanized ugly pit of a strip mall on manchester such wasted space i shall say. Also I'm very happy for Memphis one way or another and its good that they chose a city such as memphis over Nashville although again I'm not high on Memphis but maybe i should rethink my words about it as i always say no place is perfect accept for where you really want to be. i accept all of St.Louis's flaws and then some.. I could honestly see Trader joes moving into either midtown station or the development on the commerce bank property..

Chalupas54 · PostDec 17, 2014#9822014-12-17T22:11+00:00

TheNewSaintLouis wrote:St.Louiser's

** St. Louisan's**

urban_dilettante · PostDec 17, 2014#9832014-12-17T23:47+00:00

^ yeah but "St. Louisers" is a fun, if not official, alternate.

dweebe · PostJan 27, 2015#9842015-01-27T17:45+00:00

IKEA announced a new store for Columbus Ohio.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories ... laris.html

Looks to be another suburban outer edge location. Just further solidifies we got real lucky here.

arch city · PostJan 27, 2015#9852015-01-27T18:34+00:00

Polaris is Columbus' upscale mall. It's a nice area.

I agree, St. Louis City pulled off a doosy in landing IKEA.

DogtownBnR · PostJan 27, 2015#9862015-01-27T22:01+00:00

Wow, all of a sudden, IKEA is adding stores all over the Midwest. I think IKEA is eventually going to lose it's unique appeal regionally, as they expand. I still think it will be a huge draw within the metro area.

dweebe · PostJan 27, 2015#9872015-01-27T22:28+00:00

DogtownBnR wrote:Wow, all of a sudden, IKEA is adding stores all over the Midwest. I think IKEA is eventually going to lose it's unique appeal regionally, as they expand. I still think it will be a huge draw within the metro area.

Once they announce Nashville and Indianapolis, yes. But a Columbus IKEA store doesn't hurt St. Louis' uniqueness.

Anglophile · PostJan 28, 2015#9882015-01-28T01:34+00:00

dweebe wrote: Once they announce Nashville and Indianapolis, yes. But a Columbus IKEA store doesn't hurt St. Louis' uniqueness.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they announce a Nashville location pretty soon, especially with the Memphis announcement. Nashville always gets the good stuff before Memphis.

topher · PostFeb 19, 2015#9892015-02-19T23:45+00:00

Ikea signage starting to go up.

dbInSouthCity · PostFeb 20, 2015#9902015-02-20T00:20+00:00

glad they found the E....i drove by today afternoon and it said I K _ A

gary kreie · PostFeb 20, 2015#9912015-02-20T00:40+00:00

My daughter asked if it will spell IKE And tina turner when they are finished. I swear to God.

Anglophile · PostFeb 20, 2015#9922015-02-20T02:48+00:00

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 20, 2015#9932015-02-20T15:37+00:00

Has anyone heard about Vandeventer getting improvements ahead of the IKEA opening? I recall reading the BoA had approved this around the time of the IKEA announcement... I believe the area was from I-44 to Forest Park Ave, but I haven't heard any details/updates recently. Anyway, it is desperately needed!

Also, I wonder how much physical change we'll see along Vandeventer b/w Forest Park Ave. and Chouteau.... of course we have the probable Midtown Station and hopeful Green Street development (and mystery CItyTarget), but I wonder if we'll see things like say LoneStar Steakhouse and Red Robin take root in between.

chaifetz10 · PostFeb 20, 2015#9942015-02-20T16:33+00:00

^There is utility work currently taking place on this Vandeventer. I assume it is in preparation for the streetscaping/improvements.

arch city · PostFeb 20, 2015#9952015-02-20T19:20+00:00

The Board of Alderpersons and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police had better come up too with a safety plan for the corridor.

With more money and people pouring into and living in the Central Corridor, rest-assured there will be criminal opportunists lurking as well.

IKEA tends to attract consumers who come to their stores with wads of cash and credit cards because people are buying in bulk.

While streetscaping is needed, they need to be focusing on crime prevention too.

Finding a place along Forest Park Avenue/Parkway for a major police storefront would be great.

Presbyterian · PostFeb 20, 2015#9962015-02-20T19:40+00:00

The new FPSE Neighborhood Plan released this week specifies an urban built environment along Vandeventer. South of 40, it's all Boulevard Type 2.

BOULEVARD TYPE 2
Vandeventer Avenue was identiﬁed as a mixed-use ofﬁce corridor, with the potential for great change and new development. This corridor should typically have a zero lot line condition or small setbacks; and a range of building heights, between 2 stories and 6 (or eight) stories, with greater potential for height near the intersection of Chouteau Avenue. Much of the existing industrial is likely to stay here; but the intent is to move toward a mixed-use business corridor.

http://www.parkcentraldevelopment.org/f ... -district/

matguy70 · PostFeb 21, 2015#9972015-02-21T06:56+00:00

IKEA blue and signage on the building is wonderful from I64 - seeing this district and the huge IKEA here with the CWE skyline westbound and the midtown downtown skylines with IKEA from the west is awesome.
So glad IKEA is right in our central city!

shadrach · PostFeb 21, 2015#9982015-02-21T17:13+00:00

Once open, imagine the light from that massive parking lot! A huge, desolate black hole in the city center will be gone.
Talking about changing perception of the area. Especially if they are on all night.

arch city · PostFeb 21, 2015#9992015-02-21T21:46+00:00

Is Target Opening a St. Louis Store Across from IKEA, Or Nah?
By Lindsay Toler Fri., Feb. 20 2015 at 7:00 AM
Riverfront Times
Categories: Bidness

Target didn't confirm or deny opening a new store when nextSTL called. Target announced earlier this month that it will be opening fifteen new stores in 2015, including one CityTarget in Boston.

"I do not have any information to share regarding a new store at this time," Target spokeswoman Kristen Emmons told nextSTL.

NextSTL's founder and editor Alex Ihnen says he'll correct the story if it is proven wrong.

"A representative of Cortex did reach me by phone to say there's no truth to the story," Ihnen writes in the comments to Whittington's story. "We post quite a few stories on nextSTL that aren't met with official confirmation. To date, I can't think of one that didn't hold up. Again, I follow these stories, check sources, and will always make a correction if warranted."

Source

PostFeb 21, 2015#10002015-02-21T21:51+00:00

Fox 2 Video: Iconic IKEA sign hung on new store construction

IKEA in St. Louis

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