One baby step for IKEA

I wish the naysayers would just stop bitching. IKEA has made a lot of concessions and is willing to do more than what most other companies would do.

Plus i'd rather drive 5 minutes than drive 4 hours to Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Pro Ikea residents slam Mystic View Task Force


Pro Ikea, residents slam Mystic View

By Hillary Chabot / Journal Staff
Thursday, February 6, 2003

Somerville residents lined up to speak in favor of the Ikea project as the Swedish furniture chain asked the Somerville Planning Board for a permit to build the Ikea building and office space last week.

Residents in favor of the project also slammed the Mystic View Task Force - a citizen group claiming to fight for the best possible development in Assembly Square - during the meeting. Speakers blamed the group from everything to Assembly Square's stalled development to seedy intimidation tactics to deter developers.

"If they want to hug a tree and they want to build a park - go to Vermont," said Westwood Road resident Jim Veneziano, who began to slam his fist against the podium and yell. "This is Somerville, we have taxes, and we need the money from this project."

Ikea applied for a special permit with site plan review to build a 277,000-square-foot-building as the Ikea store, an underground garage to hold 802 parking spaces and an office building with 87,997 square feet of office space, 8,000 square feet of restaurant and 17,081 square feet of retail space.

The developments represent the first two phases of a three-phase project that Ikea has outlined in its already-approved master plan. As one of three developers in Assembly Square, Ikea plans on expanding the existing Mystic River parkland owned by the MDC and donating $100,000 to an MBTA feasibility study to decrease traffic to the store.

According to Mystic View Task Force member Wig Zamore, the negative commentary against the MVTF had more to do with anger at the current economy, fueled by negative comments from city officials. "There's no question some people with interest in the city have been encouraging people to attack the Mystic View Task Force instead of looking at the real issues," Zamore said.

A roster of Somerville politicians lined up to speak in support of the project, including Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay, Ward 1 Alderman William Roche, Ward 6 Alderman John Connolly, Ward 4 Alderman James McCallum, Alderman at Large William Desmond and Gene Brune. Most mentioned the clean-up of the waterfront and the fact that the project would bring about 500 jobs and $1.6 million in tax revenue to Somerville.

Those who spoke against the project said that Ikea, in addition to preventing development that would generate real tax revenue, has not provided mitigation for the slew of traffic the store would create in Somerville, adding that along with the traffic came health concerns. These problems meant the project did not conform to the Somerville Zoning Code, Mystic View president Bill Shelton said.

"Anyone who lives in East Somerville should be against this project - it will clog your streets," said Somerville resident David Dahlbacka, adding that nearly 2,000 car trips every Saturday would be added to Somerville's streets.

Ikea spokesman Paul Jean said the store will install new traffic lights in Assembly Square and the surrounding Somerville area, provide signage to get drivers from I-93 to the store successfully and give nearly $2 million to Somerville to be used towards creating a MBTA subway stop or mitigation.

Opponents also had questions about when the last two phases of the project would be built, fearing that Ikea would simply build the retail store and not commit to their promise of creating mixed-use office space.

"Just an Ikea store cannot pay for the $30 million we have spent on this project," said Real Estate Manager Pat Smith said. "No one wants to see phase 1A and phase 2 built more than Ikea," but noted "We're not going to be building the space if there are no tenants for it."

Finally, opponents mentioned litigation with another Assembly Square development, Home Depot, where production has recently been quashed due to a lawsuit.

"In the end, you guys have to follow the law, and this project does not conform to the law," said Shelton. "If you just give people a pass, then it's not fair to anyone, and then we have to go to the courts and ask them to apply the law fairly. I thoughtfully beg you to read the law and apply it here."

The Planning Board accepted all public commentary and will decide whether to grant the permit on Feb. 6. According to Jean, if the project receives the permit, the store hopes to open the store by the fall of 2004.