https://www.cultofmac.com/587260/stockholm-sweden-isnt-happy-about-proposed-apple-store/
Stockholm rejects Apple’s plans for historic park flagship store
By Luke Dormehl • 3:00 am, November 1, 2018
This mockup shows how the Apple Store could look.
Photo: Apple/Foster + Partners
Apple chooses some spectacular, historic locations for its Apple Stores — but those spaces don’t always want to be home to trendy retail stores selling expensive smartphones.
In Stockholm, Sweden, the new government has announced that it will block plans for an Apple Store in the Kungsträdgården park. While it welcomes Apple’s arrival in the city, it says that “Kungsträdgården is the wrong place.”
An article for The Guardian notes that:
While that description does, in fact, make clear why Apple would consider this an “appropriate” space for one of its stores, the move has nonetheless been heavily criticized. Of 1,800 responses to the city’s consultation on the project, virtually all — from conservationists to official bodies like the city’s official Beauty Council — answered negatively. What happens next is unclear.
Sweden is already home to three other Apple Stores.
Less a store, more a ‘town square’
Apple, for its part, has increasingly tried to cast Apple Stores as less of a retail center than a “town square.” Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior VP of retail, has described Apple Stores as, “gathering places where everyone is welcome.”
However, while that argument is open to criticism, so is the suggestion that Kungsträdgården is not a commercial space. In fact, the spot where the Apple Store would be located is currently home to a TGI Friday’s restaurant. The Apple Store would be larger, but it would also be considerably more attractive.
This isn’t the first time that Apple’s retail ambitions have been thwarted by similar criticism. In Melbourne, Australia, a proposed Apple Store in Federation Square has run into related problems for causing a, “loss of definition to the square.” At present, it’s not clear whether the store will proceed.
https://www.rt.com/news/451272-apple-stockholm-store-furious/
HomeWorld News
‘Furious’ Apple quits Stockholm after city rejects ambitious flagship store
Published time: 12 Feb, 2019 12:28 Edited time: 13 Feb, 2019 10:29
Get short URL
© Global Look Press / Emmanuele Contini
The new center-right coalition in city council decided to scrap initial plans to build a giant glass and stone store at Kungsträdgården park. The building currently occupied by a restaurant was purchased by Apple a few years ago for 129mn Swedish kronor (US$13.9mn) after the previous city government approved the project.
Apple was reportedly infuriated by the decision, as the company had already made several revisions to the project to better fit the historic location.
Also on rt.com ‘Bloody’ protesters turn Apple Store into ER ward (VIDEO)
“There were definitely no kind words, it was nasty words that I do not want to repeat,” Björn Ljung, a member of Stockholm Urban Development Committee, told property magazine Fastighetsvärlden, describing Apple’s reaction.
Stockholm authorities offered to find a new location for a store, but were turned down. “We were then told that Apple wanted nothing to do with Stockholm City anymore,” said Ljung.
When Apple initially announced its plans in 2016, public backlash followed, with critics saying the store would block one of the entrances to the park and that it would commercialize a revered landmark.
Disappointed by loss of time and investments, Apple is reportedly trying to sell the site back to the city of Stockholm at a significant premium. The company is seeking 179 million Swedish kronor for the property, a significant increase over the original price.
https://9to5mac.com/2019/02/08/apple-store-stockholm-property-for-sale/
February 8
Report: Apple looks to sell Stockholm property following blocked flagship store plan
Michael Steeber
- Feb. 8th 2019 9:07 am PT
@MichaelSteeber
30 Comments
As the sun sets on plans to transform a historic park in Stockholm with the addition of a flagship Apple store, Apple is now looking to unload the property it planned to occupy and distance itself from the project, according to a new report from Swedish publication Fastighetsvärlden. The property sale would mark a disappointing end to an extensive and expensive investment for Apple as it seeks to expand and modernize its retail experience worldwide.
Last October, new Stockholm City Council leadership vowed to halt Apple’s retail plans for Kungsträdgården, one of the oldest and most respected parks in Stockholm. Designed by architects Foster + Partners, the store was destined to replace an existing TGI Fridays with a glass and stone pavilion anchoring the entrance to the public square. Swedish officials and citizens scorned the move as an attempt to privatize public space and commercialize a revered landmark in Stockholm.
Looking to recover well over three years of lost time and funds sunk into the project, Apple is now looking to sell the TGI Fridays site back to the city of Stockholm at a significant premium, today’s report notes. Stockholm Urban Development Committee member Björn Ljung claims Apple is seeking SEK 179 million (roughly $19.3M USD) for the property, a significant increase over the SEK 129 million ($13.9M USD) the plot was originally purchased for.
Part of the increased price tag may be due to ill will between Apple and the city following a multiyear public turmoil. After first showing off models of the proposed store in February 2016, Apple and Foster + Partners made significant design revisions after the building was deemed too large and intrusive to the park environment. Outgoing Retail SVP Angela Ahrendts was said to be personally involved in negotiations.
Last July, public consultation began on Apple’s draft proposal which eventually yielded more than 1,700 comments, mostly negative. According to Fastighetsvärlden, Apple representatives were “completely furious” after the store was ultimately blocked and told officials it wanted no further part in the project. Real estate company Vasakronan attempted to offer Apple other available properties in the city, but none of these options were suited to Apple’s retail tastes.
An earlier report notes that Apple may have been warned at the outset of the project that it would not be allowed to build in Kungsträdgården but went ahead with the purchase anyway. It’s possible that Apple overestimated the favor it holds with citizens and underestimated the resistance it would face to approval. Sweden currently offers just three Apple retail locations spread across the country.
Apple is facing a similar dilemma in Melbourne, Australia that is far from over. The highly publicized debate over the future of Federation Square continues as Apple pushes ahead with attempts to demolish the Yarra building and construct what would become Australia’s most significant flagship Apple Store. Most recently, Federation Square management applied for permits to demolish the structure despite an ongoing Victorian Heritage Register nomination at the site.
Negative reaction to Apple’s recent stores appears closely tied to usage of the phrase “town square” when describing the spaces. Earlier store projects situated in the hearts of communities across the world rarely gathered such close scrutiny despite their common goals and placement. Apple has distanced itself from the terminology in recent months, instead referring to new stores as community gathering places and pavilions for Today at Apple learning and creativity.
Follow 9to5Mac’s retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple store news.
https://www.cultofmac.com/606244/apple-throws-in-the-towel-on-plans-for-flagship-store-in-stockholm/
Apple throws in the towel on plans for flagship store in Stockholm
By Luke Dormehl • 7:43 am, February 12, 2019
The Apple Store that will never be.
Photo: Feber
Apple has reportedly ditched ideas to develop an Apple store in Stockholm, Sweden. This came after the Stockholm City Council vetoed plans for a proposed flagship retail store in the area.
According to a member Stockholm Urban Development Committee, Apple representatives were extremely upset after their proposal was rejected. The company had already made revisions to its proposal in order to fit the proposed historic location better. Apple also turned down officials who said they would help find a new location for the Apple Store.
“There were definitely no kind words, it was nasty words that I do not want to repeat,” Björn Ljung, a member of Stockholm Urban Development Committee, told property magazine Fastighetsvärlden. Ljung was describing the Apple representative’s reaction to the news that the plan had been rejected.
The possibility of finding a new location for the Apple Store was also turned down by Apple. “We were then told that Apple wanted nothing to do with Stockholm City anymore,” said Ljung.
Apple bought a site for $13.9 million several years ago, located in the city’s Kungsträdgården park. It is now supposedly planning to sell the site back to the city of Stockholm for 179 million Swedish kronor ($19.2 million).
A controversial Apple Store
The proposed Apple Store was controversial from the beginning. A previous article for The Guardian noted that:
However, while it’s understandable that some spaces should remain uncommercialized, the Kungsträdgården is already home to commercial properties. The location where the Apple Store would have been located is currently home to a TGI Friday’s restaurant. An Apple Store flagship would have been larger and more prominent, but also more attractive.
This isn’t the first time that Apple has walked away from a potential project after receiving backlash and unwanted delays. Last year, endless delays caused Apple to ditch its plans for a giant data center in County Galway in Ireland.
Source: RT
Stockholm rejects Apple’s plans for historic park flagship store
By Luke Dormehl • 3:00 am, November 1, 2018
Photo: Apple/Foster + Partners
Apple chooses some spectacular, historic locations for its Apple Stores — but those spaces don’t always want to be home to trendy retail stores selling expensive smartphones.
In Stockholm, Sweden, the new government has announced that it will block plans for an Apple Store in the Kungsträdgården park. While it welcomes Apple’s arrival in the city, it says that “Kungsträdgården is the wrong place.”
An article for The Guardian notes that:
“To many in the city, it seems astonishing that the company could ever have thought Kungsträdgården – the King’s Garden – an appropriate place for a store, however outstanding its design. The park looks over the water to the Royal Palace, connecting the city to the monarchy in the same way that the Mall in London links to Buckingham Palace. It is one of the city’s oldest parks, the venue for public events from Pride parades to election debates, political protests to winter ice-skating.”
While that description does, in fact, make clear why Apple would consider this an “appropriate” space for one of its stores, the move has nonetheless been heavily criticized. Of 1,800 responses to the city’s consultation on the project, virtually all — from conservationists to official bodies like the city’s official Beauty Council — answered negatively. What happens next is unclear.
Sweden is already home to three other Apple Stores.
Less a store, more a ‘town square’
Apple, for its part, has increasingly tried to cast Apple Stores as less of a retail center than a “town square.” Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior VP of retail, has described Apple Stores as, “gathering places where everyone is welcome.”
However, while that argument is open to criticism, so is the suggestion that Kungsträdgården is not a commercial space. In fact, the spot where the Apple Store would be located is currently home to a TGI Friday’s restaurant. The Apple Store would be larger, but it would also be considerably more attractive.
This isn’t the first time that Apple’s retail ambitions have been thwarted by similar criticism. In Melbourne, Australia, a proposed Apple Store in Federation Square has run into related problems for causing a, “loss of definition to the square.” At present, it’s not clear whether the store will proceed.
https://www.rt.com/news/451272-apple-stockholm-store-furious/
HomeWorld News
‘Furious’ Apple quits Stockholm after city rejects ambitious flagship store
Published time: 12 Feb, 2019 12:28 Edited time: 13 Feb, 2019 10:29
Get short URL
© Global Look Press / Emmanuele Contini
- 768
The new center-right coalition in city council decided to scrap initial plans to build a giant glass and stone store at Kungsträdgården park. The building currently occupied by a restaurant was purchased by Apple a few years ago for 129mn Swedish kronor (US$13.9mn) after the previous city government approved the project.
Apple was reportedly infuriated by the decision, as the company had already made several revisions to the project to better fit the historic location.
Also on rt.com ‘Bloody’ protesters turn Apple Store into ER ward (VIDEO)
“There were definitely no kind words, it was nasty words that I do not want to repeat,” Björn Ljung, a member of Stockholm Urban Development Committee, told property magazine Fastighetsvärlden, describing Apple’s reaction.
Stockholm authorities offered to find a new location for a store, but were turned down. “We were then told that Apple wanted nothing to do with Stockholm City anymore,” said Ljung.
When Apple initially announced its plans in 2016, public backlash followed, with critics saying the store would block one of the entrances to the park and that it would commercialize a revered landmark.
Disappointed by loss of time and investments, Apple is reportedly trying to sell the site back to the city of Stockholm at a significant premium. The company is seeking 179 million Swedish kronor for the property, a significant increase over the original price.
https://9to5mac.com/2019/02/08/apple-store-stockholm-property-for-sale/
February 8
Report: Apple looks to sell Stockholm property following blocked flagship store plan
Michael Steeber
- Feb. 8th 2019 9:07 am PT
@MichaelSteeber
30 Comments
As the sun sets on plans to transform a historic park in Stockholm with the addition of a flagship Apple store, Apple is now looking to unload the property it planned to occupy and distance itself from the project, according to a new report from Swedish publication Fastighetsvärlden. The property sale would mark a disappointing end to an extensive and expensive investment for Apple as it seeks to expand and modernize its retail experience worldwide.
Last October, new Stockholm City Council leadership vowed to halt Apple’s retail plans for Kungsträdgården, one of the oldest and most respected parks in Stockholm. Designed by architects Foster + Partners, the store was destined to replace an existing TGI Fridays with a glass and stone pavilion anchoring the entrance to the public square. Swedish officials and citizens scorned the move as an attempt to privatize public space and commercialize a revered landmark in Stockholm.
Looking to recover well over three years of lost time and funds sunk into the project, Apple is now looking to sell the TGI Fridays site back to the city of Stockholm at a significant premium, today’s report notes. Stockholm Urban Development Committee member Björn Ljung claims Apple is seeking SEK 179 million (roughly $19.3M USD) for the property, a significant increase over the SEK 129 million ($13.9M USD) the plot was originally purchased for.
Part of the increased price tag may be due to ill will between Apple and the city following a multiyear public turmoil. After first showing off models of the proposed store in February 2016, Apple and Foster + Partners made significant design revisions after the building was deemed too large and intrusive to the park environment. Outgoing Retail SVP Angela Ahrendts was said to be personally involved in negotiations.
Last July, public consultation began on Apple’s draft proposal which eventually yielded more than 1,700 comments, mostly negative. According to Fastighetsvärlden, Apple representatives were “completely furious” after the store was ultimately blocked and told officials it wanted no further part in the project. Real estate company Vasakronan attempted to offer Apple other available properties in the city, but none of these options were suited to Apple’s retail tastes.
An earlier report notes that Apple may have been warned at the outset of the project that it would not be allowed to build in Kungsträdgården but went ahead with the purchase anyway. It’s possible that Apple overestimated the favor it holds with citizens and underestimated the resistance it would face to approval. Sweden currently offers just three Apple retail locations spread across the country.
Apple is facing a similar dilemma in Melbourne, Australia that is far from over. The highly publicized debate over the future of Federation Square continues as Apple pushes ahead with attempts to demolish the Yarra building and construct what would become Australia’s most significant flagship Apple Store. Most recently, Federation Square management applied for permits to demolish the structure despite an ongoing Victorian Heritage Register nomination at the site.
Negative reaction to Apple’s recent stores appears closely tied to usage of the phrase “town square” when describing the spaces. Earlier store projects situated in the hearts of communities across the world rarely gathered such close scrutiny despite their common goals and placement. Apple has distanced itself from the terminology in recent months, instead referring to new stores as community gathering places and pavilions for Today at Apple learning and creativity.
Follow 9to5Mac’s retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple store news.
https://www.cultofmac.com/606244/apple-throws-in-the-towel-on-plans-for-flagship-store-in-stockholm/
Apple throws in the towel on plans for flagship store in Stockholm
By Luke Dormehl • 7:43 am, February 12, 2019
Photo: Feber
Apple has reportedly ditched ideas to develop an Apple store in Stockholm, Sweden. This came after the Stockholm City Council vetoed plans for a proposed flagship retail store in the area.
According to a member Stockholm Urban Development Committee, Apple representatives were extremely upset after their proposal was rejected. The company had already made revisions to its proposal in order to fit the proposed historic location better. Apple also turned down officials who said they would help find a new location for the Apple Store.
“There were definitely no kind words, it was nasty words that I do not want to repeat,” Björn Ljung, a member of Stockholm Urban Development Committee, told property magazine Fastighetsvärlden. Ljung was describing the Apple representative’s reaction to the news that the plan had been rejected.
The possibility of finding a new location for the Apple Store was also turned down by Apple. “We were then told that Apple wanted nothing to do with Stockholm City anymore,” said Ljung.
Apple bought a site for $13.9 million several years ago, located in the city’s Kungsträdgården park. It is now supposedly planning to sell the site back to the city of Stockholm for 179 million Swedish kronor ($19.2 million).
A controversial Apple Store
The proposed Apple Store was controversial from the beginning. A previous article for The Guardian noted that:
“To many in the city, it seems astonishing that the company could ever have thought Kungsträdgården – the King’s Garden – an appropriate place for a store, however outstanding its design. The park looks over the water to the Royal Palace, connecting the city to the monarchy in the same way that the Mall in London links to Buckingham Palace. It is one of the city’s oldest parks, the venue for public events from Pride parades to election debates, political protests to winter ice-skating.”
However, while it’s understandable that some spaces should remain uncommercialized, the Kungsträdgården is already home to commercial properties. The location where the Apple Store would have been located is currently home to a TGI Friday’s restaurant. An Apple Store flagship would have been larger and more prominent, but also more attractive.
This isn’t the first time that Apple has walked away from a potential project after receiving backlash and unwanted delays. Last year, endless delays caused Apple to ditch its plans for a giant data center in County Galway in Ireland.
Source: RT
