The Cary Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 26 unanimously voted in favor of approving zoning variances necessary to build an IKEA store, WRAL-TV reports.
The vote allows for a zoning change on 20 acres of the Cary Towne Center property to allow an extra 125,000 sq. ft. of retail when IKEA replaces the old Sears and Macy’s stores.
The new IKEA will include warehouse space and retail showrooms.
The side of the property that faces homes will be used for parking, accommodating neighbours who have fought changes at the mall in the past. There will also be several roadway modifications in the area to accommodate traffic increases once the store opens.
IKEA officials had said in July that if plans are approved, demolition is scheduled for 2018, groundbreaking would take place in 2019 and the store could open in 2020. The work is expected to create 500 construction jobs.
The project will be the first phase of a redevelopment of the entire Cary Towne Center site by mall owner CBL & Associates Properties. CBL has hired Dwell Design Studio, a mixed-use planner based in Georgia, to design the project, the News & Observer reported.
