Ikea coming to Assembly Square

Ikea, the Swedish furniture and home decorating giant that currently has stores in 33 different countries, has been approved, on the local level, to open a new store in Somerville's Assembly Square. Currently, Bostonians must travel 230 miles to Elizabeth, New Jersey to reach the nearest Ikea store.

The Ikea project is still in the process of being reviewed at the state level, and needs approval from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Office, according to Jeffrey Levine, the Somerville development chair. One issue is a piece of legislation called Chapter 91, which deals with the Mystic River and any environmental hazards that may arise from construction.

"On the local level, Ikea has received the 'okay' for a permit, but I believe that they still need to go through some more individual phases and doings that are within the master plan," Levine explained. Two additional state permits, one more level of local review, and some minor state agency licenses, must still be completed before construction commences.

The development plan of Assembly Square encompasses more than just the Ikea store _ there will be a total of 500,000 square feet to be occupied by various shops and businesses. Ikea alone will occupy 274,000 square feet, and it will also be the first business to undergo construction in the early spring. Assembly Square is currently in a dilapidated part of Somerville, with a number of spaces abandoned due to lack of business.

"This Ikea will be smaller than the Ikea prototype, due to community concerns that it would be too big," Levine said. "It will be more architectural, not so much the blue and yellow metal boxes," and will have a brick accent and other "unique details."

Also, 80 percent of parking will be underground _ there will only about 250 spaces of surface parking.

Ikea proposed the idea of building a store in Assembly Square nearly three years ago and presented its typical architectural plan, but Somerville community members voiced concern over the general appearance of a new Ikea. Since then, Ikea has negotiated with Somerville and made some adaptations to the original plan to gain the community's acceptance.

The new Ikea "will be better looking than most of their other stores, because [Ikea] has spent so much time on this project," Levine said.

In addition to revising the store's design, Ikea has also agreed to renovate a nearby waterfront park and expand it by three acres. Ikea has already spent approximately $2.5 million in industrial development, including the proposal of a T station in Assembly Square, according to Levine.

"[Ikea] clearly wanted a store in the Boston area, and Somerville has both good access to Boston as well as plenty of space," Levine said. When Ikea learned that 15.5 acres were available for commercial construction, it jumped at the chance build there.

Tufts students as well as Somerville residents have expressed mixed feelings about Ikea, however. Some students, like senior Liz Shvetz, are delighted about the store's arrival. "That's incredible... Ikea is great, especially for college students and young people in general, because it's so cheap," she said.

Other students are indifferent. "Honestly, I don't know much about [Ikea]; I don't plan on doing much furniture shopping," senior Stephanie Chin said.

In Somerville, "we have a good amount of both pros and cons from the community," Levine said. "There is a group called the Mystic River Task Force that is strongly opposed to retail and it is not particularly happy about this."

The Somerville residents who are in support of the Ikea project have been very encouraging, however. "People have been coming to weekday meetings to show support _ a surprisingly large amount of people," Levine said, adding that people usually attend meetings when they are opposed to something.

Ikea's supporters are divided into two groups _ those who genuinely want the store and others who disapproved of the store's original plan but have been pleased by the company's community development and concessions to Somerville.

Ikea originated nearly 60 years ago in Sweden when a 17-year-old named Ingvar Kamprad received a gift from his father for doing well in school, to be put toward starting his own business. The first Ikea sold wallets, watches, pens, jewelry, and nylon stockings at reduced prices. By 1955, Ikea was manufacturing its own furniture, and the store's trademark contemporary style flourished in the 1960s and 70s.

The first Ikea opened in the United States in 1985, and there are now 17 locations across the country.