It’s the start of the week, we are through the negative temps, sort of! Let’s kick this week off!
In Mishawaka, The removal of holiday decorations at University Park Mall marks the annual retail shift into Valentine’s Day, Easter and warmer weather to come with most stores already offering discounts on winter attire, even though the area was expected to get its first real winter blast this weekend.
But as merchandise is shifting for the season, mall personnel have been busy working to bring in new tenants to the regional shopping destination.
Miniso, a Chinese-based retailer that describes itself as “a value retailer offering a variety of trendy lifestyle products,” should be opening soon at the far end of the mall’s Food Court, across from Forever 21.
The chain opened its 100th store in the United States last year and operates more than 6,000 worldwide. The local store, which will occupy 4,285 square feet, is expected to open before the end of the month.
Meanwhile, Lovesac plans to move into a permanent 1,500-square-foot storefront adjacent to Vo’s Coffees after operating a kiosk at the mall the past couple of years. Christian Carlson, the mall’s director of marketing and business development, says the store should be ready to open in March.
Lovesac designs, manufactures and sells furniture that’s designed to evolve with the lives of its customers. The space at UP Mall apparently has been one of the company’s top performing kiosks since it opened.
https://www.abc57.com/news/new-housing-developments-coming-to-the-city-of-south-bend
Reported by ABC57 in South Bend - Three new developments are set to transform the area near Four Winds Field in the City of South Bend.
First, the Diamond View Apartments will offer 60 affordable housing units, catering to tenants with incomes at 80% or less of the average median income.
Ryan McMonagle, Chief Financial Officer at Real America, hopes that these projects will revitalize the downtown area.
"The residents that we're targeting, some with the LITECH, side we have community integration, 12 of the units will be set aside for residents with intellectual disabilities,” said McMonagle.
Real America is partnering with the Logan Center to offer community resources for the Diamond View Apartments.
Additionally, the area will feature two buildings known as the Stadium Flats, each comprising 45 units at market price.
“On the market rate side, we're looking to get the family that is looking to move downtown and get involved in the city downtown,” said McMonagle.
Erik Glavich, Director of Growth and Opportunity for the city, says the administration is focused on bringing more affordable housing to the area.
“It's really exciting to have a dense project like this and really provide needed housing for residents particularly in downtown,” said Glavich.
This project has been in the works since 2021.
The city says the project took a while to get underway because Real America wasn't granted the tax credits for affordable housing until January of 2022.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
