July 10, 2014

Ikea wants to rebuild Renton store

Ikea said it is submitting plans to Renton to replace its current store with a new one built on the site where parking is today.

A press release from the Swedish home furnishings retailer said the new store would cover part of the current parking area. When the new store is done, the existing store would be demolished to create parking space.

The new store could open by fall of 2016, and the existing store will remain open until then.

The 398,000-square-foot Ikea store is on 29 acres near state Route 167. The structure was built in 1979 as an aerospace electronics warehouse. Ikea converted it to a store in 1994.

The proposed 399,000-square-foot store would have two levels and nearly 1,700 parking spaces. Ikea said it would have a new layout similar to the design of its other stores.

"We are excited for the chance to build a new Ikea store from the ground-up, adjacent to the current store and on land we already own," said Ikea U.S. CFO Rob Olson in a statement.

The new store would sell nearly 10,000 items, with 50 room settings, three model home interiors, a children's play area and a larger restaurant.

The company said it would recycle waste and use recycled materials in construction. The new building will also have energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, skylights in warehouse areas, and water-conserving restrooms.

Ikea has electric vehicle charging stations at 13 stores, including the Renton store.