U Square @ the Loop, a mixed-use retail and housing development, is filling up, with 80% of its residential spaces and 85% of its retail spaces rented or leased.
Among the retailers going are Rue 21 and Dibella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, which are already open. Retailers committed to moving in include bd’s Mongolian Grill, Chase Bank, Keystone Bar & Grill, Elephant Walk, and Starbucks. The entire project should be complete by the end of this summer.
The new development is credited with transforming the area, which lies just south of the university campus, in the Clifton Heights neighborhood. Residents say U Square is most welcome, particularly its parking garages.
Apartments in the development include everything from studios to two-bedroom units, and are priced from $695 to nearly $2,000 in monthly rent. Amenities for tenants include a fitness center, club room, and exclusive access to a courtyard located on the second floor. A quarter of the units are available at lower rents for those who qualify. Depending on the number of persons in the home, income limits begin at $38,000.
Developers hope to attract a number of patrons to U Square who are not students or connected with the university. For instance, someone going to a concert at the college could stop at the Square for dinner or to do some shopping before the event.
Developers could work with brochure printers to devise a hand-out for local realtors and campus officials, who could pass the material on to interested students and renters in the neighborhood.
