IKEA Secures Contractors For Development Of Larger Store In Burbank, CA

Furniture World News Desk on 3/2/2015

IKEA,  announced that contractors now are hired for constructing a new, larger store in Burbank, CA, relocating the Swedish retailer’s oldest store in the Western United States. Pending remaining approvals and permits, this progress allows the project to continue on track for demolition and site work to commence next month, a groundbreaking this Fall 2015 and store opening in Spring 2017. Until the new, roomier store opens on the new site, customers can continue to shop at the existing IKEA Burbank.

IKEA has chosen VCC to serve as Construction Manager both for the site work and store development. Listed among the top 100 construction companies in the nation, VCC is one of the top five national contractors with expertise in retail construction and renovation. Other firms involved with this IKEA project include: Park & Velayos, local land use counsel; VTN West, civil engineer; Gibson Transportation and Raju Assoc., traffic consultants; SCI Engineering, Inc., testing and inspection services; GeoKinetics, geotechnical & environmental engineers; Geosyntec and Rutan & Tucker, environmental consultants; and B.J. Palmer & Associates, utilities consultant. Atlanta-based GreenbergFarrow is the project architect.

“IKEA is excited at the opportunity to relocate our established, successful presence so close to the existing one, and appreciate the support of city officials and staff,” said Rob Olson, IKEA U.S. CFO. “Opening a new IKEA Burbank will allow our coworkers to offer customers an updated, spacious and enhanced IKEA shopping experience.”

The current 242,000-square-foot IKEA Burbank, the first IKEA store in California and sixth in the U.S., opened November 1990 on 6.4 acres along I-5 at San Fernando Boulevard. The future 456,000-square-foot store and its more than 1,700 convenient parking spaces will be built on 22 acres west of San Fernando Boulevard and south of Providencia Avenue, less than one mile from the original store and with improved accessibility. Plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. Just as the existing Burbank store has a solar photovoltaic array atop its roof, IKEA hopes to install a similar solar energy system as part of the relocated store.

The new, more spacious IKEA Burbank will feature a larger quantity of the nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a larger restaurant for serving Swedish specialties. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the showroom, baby-care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store. IKEA now also offers a product picking and delivery service, and an IKEA Family loyalty program. In addition to the nearly 400 Burbank coworkers already part of the global IKEA family, IKEA will generate even more annual sales and property tax revenue for the City and local schools.

About IKEA: 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 360 IKEA stores in 47 countries, including 40 in the U.S. 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.