IKEA Opening 2nd Metro ATL Location (Atlanta, Marietta: zoning, bus, design)

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Exactly. Good point.

I'm sure IKEA has their research and reasons for choosing Franklin Gateway. Maybe incentives were provided by Cobb and/or the City of Marietta.

However, like I said in an earlier post, the best place for a second IKEA in Metro Atlanta still stands:

A location in Duluth at Gwinnett Place.

Even as a Cobb resident, I totally agree. Next to that Fry's up there at Gwinnett Place would have been a game-changer for Gwinnett. Heck, it could have replaced some of the massive mall parking lots, which god knows are not needed anymore. Could have been a revitalizer for that mall.

But I guess we just plain won the deal, for whatever behind the scenes reasons.

Marietta has got it going on.

[Iconographer]

The close proximity of the two stores does seem peculiar, not to mention unprecedented. I can't find any other metro where this is the case; although there are several metros with more than one IKEA, they're all pretty far-flung location-wise. I'm thinking that Duluth, McDonough or Fayetteville would have been a more prudent choice, but I guess they've done their homework.

https://m.ikea.com/us/en/stores/

[MarkInMidtown]

Is it possible that IKEA is thinking about closing the Atlantic Station store in a few years and selling land to a developer? It's potentially an exceptional spot for a couple of 20 story condo/apartment towers. Atlantic Station, whatever problems it may have initially had, is an area that has a great future, both as a business center and as a community. It may not make sense for an IKEA to be located there a few years down the road. Perhaps the Cobb IKEA will be followed up by a Gwinnett location, and then the closing of the Atlantic Station location.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by MarkInMidtown

Is it possible that IKEA is thinking about closing the Atlantic Station store in a few years and selling land to a developer? It's potentially an exceptional spot for a couple of 20 story condo/apartment towers. Atlantic Station, whatever problems it may have initially had, is an area that has a great future, both as a business center and as a community. It may not make sense for an IKEA to be located there a few years down the road. Perhaps the Cobb IKEA will be followed up by a Gwinnett location, and then the closing of the Atlantic Station location.

Hadn't thought of that, but it sounds entirely plausible.
Sounds like Walmart's "Scorched Earth" policy.

[hautemomma]

Originally Posted by MarkInMidtown

Is it possible that IKEA is thinking about closing the Atlantic Station store in a few years and selling land to a developer? It's potentially an exceptional spot for a couple of 20 story condo/apartment towers. Atlantic Station, whatever problems it may have initially had, is an area that has a great future, both as a business center and as a community. It may not make sense for an IKEA to be located there a few years down the road. Perhaps the Cobb IKEA will be followed up by a Gwinnett location, and then the closing of the Atlantic Station location.

Now this makes the most sense yet.

[magnetar]

12 miles is pretty close, but there are two stores in Philadelphia only about 20 miles apart, and three in the DMV that are each 40 miles from each other. This is closer than those but I could see them both staying open.

[NC2ATL60]

According to the City of Marietta, no tax breaks or abatements were provided either.

[Born 2 Roll]

"Marietta releases renderings of Franklin Gateway" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Marietta releases renderings of Franklin Gateway Ikea

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

"Marietta releases renderings of Franklin Gateway" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Marietta releases renderings of Franklin Gateway Ikea

They need to get rid of the junky shopping center out front of this property:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9287...7i13312!8i6656

Gonna be a terrible contrast if they don't.

Across the street is the nice new athletic center, so that's good.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by primaltech

They need to get rid of the junky shopping center out front of this property:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9287...7i13312!8i6656

Gonna be a terrible contrast if they don't.

Across the street is the nice new athletic center, so that's good.

The aerial rendering of the new Ikea development seems to indicate that the existing shopping center is going to be torn down and replaced with a front overflow parking lot.