Ikea's decision could play role in repurposing Marketplace Mall

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Dennis Wilmot and to recast an inaccurate headline.

It was announced with great fanfare in the summer of 2016 that The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta would become an outlet center rebranded as Marketplace Outlets.

The new outlet mall was supposed to open by fall 2017. But the concept has stalled largely due to a major player on the scene: Ikea is considering the site for its furniture superstore, said mall manager Mike Wilmot.

Among other decisions that still need to be made, Ikea is considering the site — among others — for a furniture superstore, said mall manager Mike Wilmot, but no decisions have been made yet.

The retailer approached Wilmorite, the mall's parent company, as it seeks a location in western New York, Wilmot said.

"Our No. 1 option is Ikea," Wilmot said.

But nothing has been decided yet, and Marketplace Mall plans to continue remaking itself with or without Ikea.

Dennis Wilmot, vice president of leasing at Wilmorite, said in a statement that "there are many considerations, in many forms, for how to repurpose the Macy’s box."

"Ultimately, whatever we decide to do will support our long-term vision for the mall. It is premature to name any prospective tenants but we are aggressively continuing the efforts to convert the mall into an outlet center," Dennis Wilmot said in the statement.

The Sweden-based chain offers unique furniture and home items at a low price and serves up its famous Swedish meatballs in store cafeterias at low prices.

Ikea officials have mentioned that the company is in the midst of expanding its U.S. footprint. Three stores opened or are planned to open in the U.S. last fall alone, in Florida, Texas and Indiana. Announced plans for the coming years include stores in Arizona, and additional locations in Tennessee and Texas.

The closest Ikea stores to Rochester are four in the Toronto market. The only two in New York are in the New York City market. There are over 400 stores worldwide.

"As we endeavor to expand our presence here in the United States we continue to evaluate opportunities as they arise," said company spokesperson Latisha Bracy via email Wednesday. "However, Ikea has not announced any plans for a store in the western New York area."

While Wilmorite awaits a decision, more stores have exited the mall in recent months, including teen retailer Abercrombie and Littman Jewelers as well as The Body Shop that has been there for over a decade. Abercrombie announced it would close 60 stores in the U.S. in 2017 and The Body Shop has been shuttering stores across the country the past few years. Littman is an independent retailer.

Since news spread about Ikea seeking sites in the region, the retailer has been approached by other developers, Mike Wilmot said.

The Getinge Group site on East Henrietta Road was once thought to be in the running. But the real estate representatives haven't heard anything from the retailer, said Bob Moore of Moore Corporate Real Estate.

"As it pertains to Ikea, we are unaware of any current interest that they have in this property," said Moore. That said, the real estate group is in what they believe to be final negotiations with another buyer that plans to use the industrial/office property in the way it was designed, he said.

Ikea stores tend to sit on 20 to 35 acres of property, with a building size of about 300,000 square feet.

Ikea representatives have mentioned that they like Rochester's demographics of college students, a core of its customer base, Wilmot said. There are about 85,000 college students in the greater Rochester area.

Originally built in 1982, The Marketplace Mall has five parcels on 80 acres in Henrietta.

MCHAO@Gannett.com

STADDEO@Gannett.com

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