Ikea wants to build second Joliet warehouse

JOLIET – Ikea confirmed Wednesday it plans to build a second 1.4 million-square-foot distribution center in Joliet.

The plans will be considered Thursday by both the Joliet Zoning Board of Appeals and the Plan Commission at separate meetings.

Ikea plans twin buildings next to each other in the Laraway Crossings Business Park, located at Illinois Route 53 and Laraway Road.

Ikea for weeks has acknowledged it was considering a second building.

Each building would include center storage towers 115 feet high, or the equivalent of 12 stories, surrounded by lower storage areas.

The first building is scheduled to open in summer 2017.

Ikea spokesman Joseph Roth said there is no construction timetable yet for the second building. He also said Ikea has not yet purchased the 62-acre site, but is in negotiations to buy the land.

"It was too good to pass up," Roth said. "We want to buy it, and we want to build an accompanying twin building."

Ikea representatives discussed the plans for a second building earlier this month in a meeting with neighbors from the Sugar Creek community. At the time, they said the company had not yet decided to move forward with the project.

In February, Ikea announced it would build the first distribution center, which is on a 72-acre site. Ikea had purchased that land in 2008, announcing it would build a distribution center. But the project was put on hold.

Ikea said in a statement Wednesday that the distribution hub would serve stores throughout the Midwest.

"We are pleased to consolidate our long-term Midwestern distribution operations at what will be our Midwestern hub in Joliet, and appreciate the city's support for this project," Ikea U.S. Chief Financial Officer Rob Olson said in the statement.

The company also noted the location is near railroad intermodal operations that will facilitate the movement of goods shipped to coastal ports from Asia and Europe.

The project also is one of several trucking operations being developed on the south end of Joliet.

The Zoning Board and Plan Commission also will consider a plan from Cadence Premier Logistics, which wants to build a truck stop and truck maintenance facility along with new corporate offices and a distribution center in the Laraway Crossings Business Park.

An unnamed e-commerce company has proposed a facility with 800 parking spaces for employees in Laraway Crossings.

The Zoning Board will meet at 2 p.m., and the Plan Commission will meet at 4 p.m. Both will meet in the council chambers in City Hall, 150 W. Jefferson St.