Ikea on track to open new Miami-Dade store in summer 2014

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 2/22/2013 10:33:48 AM

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. - Home furnishings retailer Ikea announced that contractors have been hired and a building permit is pending for its future Miami-Dade store in Sweetwater, Fla. The project is on track for a groundbreaking within the next two months and a store opening in summer 2014, increasing the Swedish retailer's presence in South Florida.

Ikea has chosen Florida-based construction management firm Balfour Beatty Construction to oversee the project. The company has been recognized as one of Fortune's Best Places to Work and as a Top 10 Green Builder by Engineering News-Record. Other Florida firms involved with the project include: Kimley-Horn and Associates for civil engineering; ATC Associates for geotechnical services; GFA International, Inc. for testing and inspection services, Holland & Knight for local land use counsel; The Goldstein Environmental Law Firm for Brownfield expertise; real estate brokerage The Shopping Center Group for site selection support; and Procacci Development Corporation for selling the land. Atlanta-based GreenbergFarrow is the project architect.

"We are excited that plans are on track to open Ikea Miami in summer 2014 as our second South Florida store," said Mike Ward, Ikea U.S. president. "This store will provide a more conveniently located Ikea shopping experience for current and potential Miami-Dade customers, and will help strengthen the Ikea presence in Florida established by stores already in Sunrise, Orlando and Tampa."

Ikea Miami will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children's play area and a 500-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties as well as American dishes. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, the retailer will hire around 350 employees when the new store opens.

The 417,000-sq.-ft. store and 1,500 parking spaces will be built on 14.6 acres adjacent to the Dolphin Mall, and located west of Miami International Airport at the intersection of the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836) and Florida's Turnpike.