U Square brings Waffle House, Mongolian BBQ, hot yoga, more to Clifton

Construction crews have been parked on Williams Howard Taft and Calhoun for months, but by March, University Square at the Loop in Clifton will begin opening a series of restaurants and shops that are new to the campus scene. Apartments in the mammoth development are slated to open starting in July.

Currently, nine restaurants have been announced through the project’s official website: Firehouse Subs, bd’s Mongolian Barbeque, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, Waffle House, DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, Mr. Sushi, Hwy 55, Orange Leaf and Keystone Bar & Grill. Shop tenants include Great Clips, Moksha Yoga, Rue 21 and Altar’d State.

“Over 70 percent of the space has been leased to prospective tenants,” says Arn Bortz, former Cincinnati mayor and a partner at U Square developer Towne Properties.

While most of the apartment tenants will likely be students, the apartments are market rate, Bortz says.

So students who are looking to lease an apartment for next year should expect to pay a bit more, assuming the convenient location is enough to sway them — apartments range from $695-$1650 per month.

“Income qualified apartments,” those for qualified individuals with limited incomes, are not available to full-time students, according to U Square at the Loop’s website.

The development will also include parking garages to accommodate the influx of traffic the complex will bring.

For more updates, check out U Square at the Loop’s Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

By Kyle Stone