Burbank approves construction of largest Ikea store in U.S.

Swedish furniture giant Ikea got the unanimous green light from the Burbank City Council on Tuesday to build its largest furniture store in the nation in Burbank.

The retailer, which opened in Burbank in 1990 as its first store in California and sixth in the United States, will relocate roughly a mile to a nearly 23-acre lot at 805 S. San Fernando Blvd.

The megastore is scheduled to open in August 2016, the Burbank Leader reported.Construction is slated to begin this summer, starting with the demolition of the 22 existing buildings on the property which are currently used for office, manufacturing, industrial, warehouse and residential purposes.

“We are thrilled with the support voiced by the City Council last night as well as some of the speakers at the public hearing,” Ikea spokesman Joseph Roth said Wednesday. “We’re glad that we now have a very viable project moving forward to continue to be a very strong contributor to the local Burbank economy.”

Ikea began the hunt for a larger location in 2011 after outgrowing its current Burbank Town Center home, where customers have to wait in sometimes long lines in their cars to pick up items from a loading area. At the new store, patrons will roll their carts directly to their vehicles.

The development will include an underground parking level, a ground level for retail and warehouse areas and a supervised children’s play area, and an upper level consisting of showrooms, offices and a restaurant. The new store will have 1,726 parking spots and 86 bicycle parking spaces.

At Tuesday’s hearing a number of business operators who will be displaced by the project asked the city and retailer for relocation assistance, citing the high costs of moving. City officials said they would begin contacting the businesses this week to help them find them other space in Burbank.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

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Tchekmedyian writes for Times Community News.