IKEA is coming to Somerville

But will it bring jobs?

By George P. Hassett

Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has received the necessary permits to begin building one of their stores in Assembly Square. The permits were issued 10 years after the company first expressed interest in coming to Somerville. 

On Thursday, the planning board approved construction of a new IKEA and a realignment of Assembly Square Drive which will be “the backbone” of the new Assembly Square, according to developers.

Construction of the new IKEA is set to begin in the summer of 2008, according to city officials. It will mark the first phase of the long-awaited redevelopment of Assembly Square.

At a Sept. 4 public hearing, residents urged the planning board to require IKEA to give preference to East Somerville residents when hiring for the new store, revise traffic patterns and increase the open space in the project. Yet the board did not take all of the public’s advice into account and failed to require IKEA to give preference to city residents when hiring for the new store.   

Activists from East Somerville Neighbors for Change have lobbied the developers and city officials to pledge that local residents will get first crack at the 510 jobs IKEA said it will create. The activists want East Somerville residents to be given first priority in hiring, followed by Somerville residents and then the general public.

At last week’s East Somerville Summit, community members ranked securing job guarantees at IKEA as the most important goal for the neighborhood. They said good jobs will allow many longtime Somerville residents to remain in the city despite rising housing costs.

However, when the planning board gave IKEA permission to start construction, the jobs issue was not one of the 68 conditions of approval it required of the retailer. The board said the issue was outside of its power. City spokesman Thomas P. Champion said the city continues to negotiate with IKEA and he is confident the store will agree to giving locals first priority when hiring. 

Traffic patterns have also been a concern for residents who live in the neighborhoods surrounding Assembly Square, particularly Ten Hills and East Somerville.

The first IKEA to open in Massachusetts, a Stoughton store, generated traffic gridlock throughout its business district and prompted many nearby companies to complain about the Swedish retailer. Somerville residents fear a repeat in Assembly Square.

“What happens if there is so much traffic [from IKEA] that people avoid the entire area on Saturdays? What happens to the city’s tax base then? Will the city be paralyzed? Will the existing merchants be victims of this traffic?” said Don Stiehl at the initial public hearing.

Patrick Dunford, a traffic engineer who conducted a study of IKEA’s impact, said the store will generate most of its traffic during off-peak hours on the weekend. He said that is a benefit because it does not add to the normal weekday commuting flow.

However, at the first public hearing, Ellen Reisner, of East Somerville, said the weekends are one of the few times when her neighborhood is given a reprieve from constant traffic jams and gridlock.

“Weekends are our only relief from air pollution in our neighborhood,” she said. “As it is now, we can’t open our windows facing Route 93 or spend too much time outside.”

A lack of open space in the development was also raised by city residents at the first public hearing and IKEA responded by revising its plans to include more trees and landscaped medians. 

As part of their community benefits plan, IKEA will also donate $1 million to the city. 

Comments

[We're losing....]

"...a traffic engineer who conducted a study of IKEA’s impact, said the store will generate most of its traffic during off-peak hours on the weekend. He said that is a benefit because it does not add to the normal weekday commuting flow..."
That's great for the commuters from Medford, Melrose, Everett, Stoneham, etc. who use our streets during the week.
What about us???
What about gridlock caused on a Saturday when we're trying to get to youth sports, shopping, errands, etc.?? Do our lives come to a standstill? Don't forget, when IKEA opened in New Jersey, just off a major highway, they found it necessary to create a new exit, just for IKEA traffic. Don't quite see that happening on McGrath Highway.
"...A lack of open space in the development was also raised by city residents at the first public hearing and IKEA responded by revising its plans to include more trees and landscaped medians..."
I thought IKEA was the 'green', ecology-friendly retailer? Why would they need to be pressured into adding trees? I also don't think that 'open space' and 'landscaped medians' are quite the same thing.
I'm very afraid that IKEA will not be a positive addition to the city of Somerville. Little by little we're losing our 'small town feel' which is what has made Somerville so attractive. Once we become a cross between Route 1 and Kendall Square, the attraction will be gone - for me, anyway!

[Whatever]

Other than its grand opening week (or month) when they'll probably be giving away Swedish meatballs, I don't think traffic will be as horrible as people fear. Remember, when the Stoughton store opened, it was the ONLY IKEA in the area. Soon, there will be two, thus splitting the customer base.

[somebody]

I've been to other IKEAs... in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia... They all have traffic issues. The best one was the New Jersey one because they right off the Jersey Turnpike and have their own exit.

[Imux]

I've been to other IKEAs... in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia... They all have traffic issues. The best one was the New Jersey one because they right off the Jersey Turnpike and have their own exit.

Posted by: somebody | October 25, 2007 at 11:49 AM

You people will find any reason to complain and whine. Get over it. IKEA is coming.

[somebody]

Imux,

Isn't that what this forum is for? :-)

[Paulie]

We're Losing

Somerville is a husling bustling city NOT the Mayberry RFD you envision it to be move to Hubbardston if you want small town:>)

Cheers

Paulie

[Jack Meofe]

Is it me or weren't they suppose to have built this friggin store years ago lol?

[open]

What does ikea stand for.I like to see somerville progress and get new stores and tax dollars but we are the most dence city in america per capita we should be the richest per capita too.Show us the money

[Diogenes]

"...a traffic engineer who conducted a study of IKEA’s impact, said..."

I've heard that guy, Patrick Dunphy, defend a half dozen other projects for developers. He's nothing more than a hired liar.

"Somerville is a husling bustling city NOT the Mayberry RFD."

That's exactly the point. Developments like IKEA and the A.S. Mall belong in the suburbs, where they can best handle the traffic. Bringing IKEA to the the densest city in New England is traffic engineering madness.

"Show us the money." Well, the Assembly Square Developers showed Joe Curtatone thirty pieces of silver when they first elected him. He promised us $5 million per year in new taxes. Where is it? Killing the city's best hope for tax relief was the price of getting him elected. I'd guess he thinks that it was worth it.

"I thought IKEA was the 'green', ecology-friendly retailer?" That's all marketing. They make a big show of putting up an energy efficient building, but the business model that has made them the richest furniture seller on earth produces more air pollution than any other retailer on earth.

"What does ikea stand for." IK is the founder's initials, and EA are the first letters of the Swedish town that he grew up in.

The only good thing that we will get from IKEA are the jobs, which are better than most in that industry. But to do this, the city will have to stay on top of IKEA. I hope those responsible can do a better job than the city planners did.

[Paulie]

That's exactly the point. Developments like IKEA and the A.S. Mall belong in the suburbs, where they can best handle the traffic. Bringing IKEA to the the densest city in New England is traffic engineering madness.

>>would you explain which suburb in Greater Boston that can best handle an IKEA,they said they couldn't handle it in Stoughton..it is working out..all of the above is more nonsense from cats with only three pieces of silver in their own pockets but a wealth of opinion coming out of their fingahs

[open]

Three mile island worked awhile in nj why not here. Just because it works some place else does not mean it will work here .Your comparing apples and oranges.

[Fool on the Hill]

Paulie,

Diogenes doesn't seem to be awake at this hour. Searching for an honest man among Somerville's government officials can be exhausting. So please permit me to respond.

Since you're a deep thinker, perhaps you can answer your own question if I give you a few hints.

Why do you suppose that downtown areas zone for 1 or less parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of retail building, while suburbs zone for 4 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet?

Do you believe that Somerville's density is more that of a suburb, or a downtown?

How many parking spaces per thousand square feet has our Planning Board zoned for at Assembly Square?

Bonus points question: What was the only group in Somerville advocating for one-space-per-thousand-square feet zoning, and why do you think they were demonized?

[Ron Newman]

Three mile island worked awhile in nj

I have no idea what this sentence means.

[Jim]

I don't agree with the traffic engineer at all. When IKEA goes in there, Sullivan SQ is going to be a mess, more than usual.

Like New Jersey. IKEA should have its own, on and off ramps. Or some sort of mitigating reconfiguration. It's already bad as is, imagine holiday traffic when everyone is rushing to buy gifts at the last minute.

By the way, I think the Burlington Mall should also have its own ramps too.