SUNRISE, FL-Swedish retailer Ikea has begun construction on its first store in Florida. The 293,000-sf store is rising at the northwest corner of Interstate 595/State Road 84 and NW 136th Avenue.

The 20-acre store site is located in the planned 25-acre Gateway at Sawgrass shopping center planned by Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles Corp. In addition to the store, Ikea is building a two-level parking deck with capacity for 1,100 vehicles. The store is expected to open in summer 2007.

The store will be adjacent to 40,000 sf of specialty retail shops and restaurants to be developed by Stiles on five acres along NW 136th Avenue. "We are thrilled to be entering South Florida with this perfect opportunity in Sunrise," says Ikea real estate director David Iemolo. "Stiles' long-standing commitment to this location, paired with the city's dedication to quality development is resulting in a distinctive, high-profile project. Today's milestone is another major step forward to achieving that goal."

Ikea Sunrise will feature three model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children's play area as well as a 250-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties. Other features include a Children's Ikea area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas.

The store is the company's second in the Southeast, with the first being an Atlanta store which opened in June 2005. Another 310,000-sf store is planned for Orlando on a 22-acre site off Eastgate Drive south of Conroy Road. "We have received approvals from the city and closed on the land but we have not yet started construction," says Ikea's Joseph Roth tells GlobeSt.com. "We hope to break ground late in 2006 or early 2007, with the store expected to be completed in fall 2007."

Roth adds that the company will continue to explore opportunities to build more stores in the Southeast. "We are always evaluating opportunities for the Southeast," he says. "But we have not committed to anything beyond the two stores in Sunrise and Orlando."