IKEA to open in Norfolk!

[HRVT]

Ikea to Hampton Roads? Pretty exciting stuff if the speculation is true! 

http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/po-ng-talk-of-a-hampton-roads-ikea-heats-up/article_f2a9952a-95e7-5400-8dde-fa2ed5ecd8ba.html

[BFG]

Have some of our prayers finally been answered???  

I know we've discussed the pros and cons of that location. That would be a huge score for the region if it happens.

[JPN0731]

1 hour ago, HRVT said:

Ikea to Hampton Roads? Pretty exciting stuff if the speculation is true! 

http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/po-ng-talk-of-a-hampton-roads-ikea-heats-up/article_f2a9952a-95e7-5400-8dde-fa2ed5ecd8ba.html

The article is a bit confusing. Would this be in Norfolk or in VB on the land that Norfolk owns? 

Ahhh just re-read and looked at the map. WEST of 64 meaning this would be in Norfolk right by USAA's old HQ where there is a big driveway to nowhere. This def needs to be posted in the Norfolk page if that is the case. 

Also I think that parcel next to the outlet mall may end up being a Wegman's? So much excitement for that part of Norfolk-VB. If only the two would work together. 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by JPN0731

[JPN0731]

http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/po-ng-talk-of-a-hampton-roads-ikea-heats-up/article_f2a9952a-95e7-5400-8dde-fa2ed5ecd8ba.html

 

So  Norfolk gets an IKEA? I read and re-read this article and the parcel of land they are referring to is the one right next to 64 by the old USAA HQ. There is already a signal and road there. I am sure VB is going to be PISSSSSSED about this. 

[BFG]

7 minutes ago, JPN0731 said:

http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/po-ng-talk-of-a-hampton-roads-ikea-heats-up/article_f2a9952a-95e7-5400-8dde-fa2ed5ecd8ba.html

 

So  Norfolk gets an IKEA? I read and re-read this article and the parcel of land they are referring to is the one right next to 64 by the old USAA HQ. There is already a signal and road there. I am sure VB is going to be PISSSSSSED about this. 

Honestly, they had their chance. The whole land debate over a service road was absolutely ridiculous. I'm all about regionalism, but more power to Norfolk if this indeed happens.

[HRVT]

48 minutes ago, BFG said:

Honestly, they had their chance. The whole land debate over a service road was absolutely ridiculous. I'm all about regionalism, but more power to Norfolk if this indeed happens.

Meh, this was a situation where it took two to tango. Norfolk was essentially expecting Virginia Beach to kick money into the project and share in some of the headaches (ie traffic) for exactly zero benefit. The tax revenue was going to go to Norfolk. 

[baobabs727]

I have a multi-decade history with both cities. I have lived in both cities. I have had deep family roots in both cities. So I am about as neutral as they come  on the Virginia Beach versus Norfolk debate.

However, I must say that Virginia Beach has only itself to blame for this one. Period.  I'm sure IKEA took one look at Virginia Beach's dealings & behavior with Simon & Norfolk re: the Outlets and wanted nothing whatsoever to do with THAT!

Sad.

Edited June 21, 2016 by baobabs727

[HRVT]

1 hour ago, baobabs727 said:

I have a multi-decade history with both cities. I have lived in both cities. I have had deep family roots in both cities. So I am about as neutral as they come  on the Virginia Beach versus Norfolk debate.

However, I must say that Virginia Beach has only itself to blame for this one. Period.  I'm sure IKEA took one look at Virginia Beach's dealings & behavior with Simon & Norfolk re: the Outlets and wanted nothing whatsoever to do with THAT!

Sad.

I actually fail to see what VB did wrong. Contribute money to the project to get a new road and a parking lot while Norfolk gets ALL of the tax revenue from the retail. Basically, consumers drive through and park in VB to spend money in Norfolk. 

I don't think VB had a lot of options.

[BFG]

I guess I misunderstood then. For some reason, I thought revenue would be split, proportioned to whatever percentage of land VB offered. The constant bickering we've seen between these two cities makes it easy to jump to conclusions, I suppose.

[HRVT]

1 hour ago, BFG said:

I guess I misunderstood then. For some reason, I thought revenue would be split, proportioned to whatever percentage of land VB offered. The constant bickering we've seen between these two cities makes it easy to jump to conclusions, I suppose.

To be honest, you might be right. But I thought I remember seeing somewhere that VB was essentially building a parking lot (and a road) under the idea of "regionalism" and "maybe you'll be thrown a bone down the road with expansion". 

I really haven't been able to find anything that would help remember specific details. Ultimately, I know we're all tired of the bickering. But when you ask for something, you have to give something in return or you're not going to get what you want. And BOTH cities have been equally guilty of expecting the other to cooperate with its grand ideas.

[Si7i]

 

This is awesome news, I wonder how it will tie into the new outlet mall, being on the other side of the interstate. Pedestrian overpass? nothing? I hope I'm reading this right, I marked the area in red. 

"And a city official briefed on the plans told The Pilot the store will be on a 24-acre wooded plot of land owned by the city just west of Interstate 64 and north of Northampton Boulevard."

 

 

[carolinaboy]

Big time!

 

Suck it Virginia Beach!

[baobabs727]

9 hours ago, HRVT said:

I actually fail to see what VB did wrong. Contribute money to the project to get a new road and a parking lot while Norfolk gets ALL of the tax revenue from the retail. Basically, consumers drive through and park in VB to spend money in Norfolk. 

I don't think VB had a lot of options.

No one seems to know what the cost was going to be, but Simon ended up paying for the access road, itself ...through Norfolk property. 

The point is, Virginia Beach opposed this project because they did not want competition for Town Center. Emails discovered by the Virginian Pilot demonstrate this.  Town Center developers quoted unnamed retailers claiming that they would pull out of other area malls to opt for an outlet location in Norfolk. VB city leaders then lobbied people in the VB business world to attend the city council meetings to oppose the project, basically under false pretenses.  Folks were coached to cite potential traffic issues and even the notion that the outlet concept was fine, just not in that location...when all the while it was an anti-competition spirit that ruled of the day.  

In fact, a traffic study showed that the Virginia Beach access route would be preferable for traffic concerns, and both Norfolk Academy and Virginia Wesleyan supported the route through Virginia Beach.

Additionally, did Virginia Beach truly not understand that many of the newly created Outlet Mall jobs would go to citizens of Virginia Beach?  Both temporary and permanent, construction and retail? 

Finally, if Virginia Beach lost the opportunity for IKEA to be developed on the 30 acre tract owned by Norfolk but located in Virginia Beach (to be developed by Simon and Nusbaum) based--even partially--on IKEA's desire to avoid  dealing with Virginia Beach and her seemingly anti-Norfolk politics, would you continue to maintain that Virginia Beach's opposition to the Norfolk Premium Outlets was truly worth it??

 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by baobabs727

[baobabs727]

Deets  ...before the official announcement... From our friends at Richmond.com 

"After years of speculation, the Swedish home furnishings store IKEA announced Tuesday that it will build its second Virginia store in Hampton Roads.

Construction on the store is expected begin in spring 2017 with an anticipated opening a year later, according to a company news release.

The Hampton Roads store will be located just off Interstate 64 at Northampton Boulevard in Norfolk. It will be near the Norfolk Premium Outlets, which is expected to open next year.

The store will be 331,000 square feet and have 1,000 parking spaces, IKEA said."

http://m.richmond.com/business/article_a91158c2-97fa-526d-a534-ea89d6140c36.html?mode=jqm

Edited June 21, 2016 by baobabs727

[brikkman]

IKEA, now that is different for HR.

Didn't know this retailer could change the mood of the people.

[baobabs727]

48 minutes ago, NFKjeff said:

I'M happy that IKEA has chosen to locate in Norfolk/Hampton Roads. I'M not quite sure what it will mean as far as the perception of HR to others considering locating here, but I'M sure it will be positive.

Frankly, I don't care to perpetuate any negativism which might exist between the two cities of VB and Norfolk, as it would run counter to my personal beliefs that regionalism should and can prevail.

I tend to believe that you can't solve a problem if you don't identify it.

[vdogg]

1 hour ago, carolinaboy said:

Big time!

 

Suck it Virginia Beach!

Let's not do that here. City vs. City posts such as this are a violation of TOS. Legitimate criticisms of all cities can be made, but let's try and make sure we keep the discussion at a higher caliber please. 

[BFG]

Great news to wake up to! I'm very interested to see how this boosts the region's profile. I'm sure the region (not just Norfolk) will pick up a bit more tourism.

Norfolk is having one heck of a 2016!

Edited June 21, 2016 by BFG

[blopp1234]

10 minutes ago, NFKjeff said:

I think IKEA locating in Hampton Roads is great news for the entire area, and will even benefit many in the Richmond area.

This is absolutely great news for Norfolk. 250 jobs is amazing! I'm not sure about it benefiting Richmond that much it would be over a 100 mile drive which is about the same as Woodbridge if you are in the West End. However I did read in the article that Memphis is getting an IKEA and Richmond is projected to pass them by in population in the next few years so we could very well end up having 3 IKEA's in VA in the next 15-20 years.

Edited June 21, 2016 by blopp1234

[757Duke]

Hampton Roads is really moving up from being a second tier region with developments like this!

[Icetera]

Congrats Hampton Roads!

I do find it interesting on where they are locating this Ikea. Typically they are placed on the edge of one major metropolitan area in the direction of other population centers. Given that, I would have expected this to be located in Western Newport News/Hampton/Williamsburg in order to pick up both Hampton Roads (1.7 mil) and the Richmond metro (1.3 mil) but instead they located it way east in between Norfolk and VA Beach. That makes me think they are planning ahead for a future location in Western Richmond (Short Pump) which would work for Charlottesville (0.15 mil), Lynchburg (0.25 mil) and potentially Roanoke (0.3 mil) for a combined market of 1.7 to 2 million.

[BFG]

1 hour ago, 757Duke said:

Hampton Roads is really moving up from being a second tier region with developments like this!

I agree. When you look at the list of cities/markets with an Ikea that are comparable in size to HR, you realize we're joining a pretty solid list. 

I see this area undergoing a major transformation by 2020!

[757Duke]

Here's a detailed video with a potential rendering of the building. There's some more information on the City of Norfolk's facebook page.

[baobabs727]

1 hour ago, Icetera said:

Congrats Hampton Roads!

I do find it interesting on where they are locating this Ikea. Typically they are placed on the edge of one major metropolitan area in the direction of other population centers. Given that, I would have expected this to be located in Western Newport News/Hampton/Williamsburg in order to pick up both Hampton Roads (1.7 mil) and the Richmond metro (1.3 mil) but instead they located it way east in between Norfolk and VA Beach. That makes me think they are planning ahead for a future location in Western Richmond (Short Pump) which would work for Charlottesville (0.15 mil), Lynchburg (0.25 mil) and potentially Roanoke (0.3 mil) for a combined market of 1.7 to 2 million.

Thanks! Love Short Pump by the way.

I agree, that may eventually happen, but I think for now IKEA will be happy splitting the Richmond market, perhaps with the southern and western halves coming here to Norfolk, and the northern areas going to Woodbridge.

However, I think many Richmonders will consider Norfolk, and this is reflected in a tweet from a Richmond.com writer this morning:

Bryan DeVasher (@bryandevasher)

6/21/16, 8:56 AM

Love @IKEA but hate going to Woodbridge? Soon you'll be able to go to Norfolk instead bit.ly/28N5uuv #rva pic.twitter.com/8boSftQeEC

 

For even our tunnel traffic pales in comparison to to the traffic on

I-95 between Fredericksburg and Woodbridge!  And the relative distances are pretty much a wash, especially for the West End.

Edited June 21, 2016 by baobabs727

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

7 hours ago, NFKjeff said:

I think IKEA locating in Hampton Roads is great news for the entire area, and will even benefit many in the Richmond area.

Tad bit stretching there, mate. But congratulations anyway, happy you guys are movin on up. This is one of those destination retailers metro areas dream of.