According to published reports, opponents of the store are still considering whether to either request a recount, or challenge the election results in court. The purpose of Measure C was to approve zoning and other changes that would allow the furniture company founded in Sweden to construct the new store.
Ikea's real estate manager for the northwestern United States, Douglas Greenholz says the company has already made many concessions to address resident concerns about the store. Those concessions include reducing the building's size by 60,000 sf to 300,000 sf, as well as funding and performing more than $1 million in roadway and infrastructure improvements.
The firm has also agreed to comply with the city's First Source Hiring program, guaranteeing that 30% of the jobs in the new store will go to East Palo Alto residents. IKEA will also pay $1 million per year in sales tax revenue to the city for eight years.
Similar in size the company's Emeryville store, this new facility will be different from most of the company's stores nationwide in that it will be built over a parking structure. "This represents what is widely accepted as responsible urban planning and design," Greenholz said.
Should construction plans go forward, groundbreaking is scheduled for this summer with completion and the store opened by summer 2003. IKEA is paying $27 per sf for the land it is acquiring from the city's redevelopment agency, based on an independent appraisal. The remaining land, comprising 30% of the land needed for the site, is being purchased via private land sale contracts. A general contractor for the project has not yet been selected.
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