Baldwin
Wallace
University
and
the
DiGeronimo
Companies
are
beginning
to
open
the
doors
on
an
innovative
retail,
dining
and
student
housing
development
on
Berea's
Front
Street
one
year
after
breaking
ground.
A
grand
opening
community
celebration
is
in
the
works
for
mid-September.
The
Front
Street
Residence
Hall,
comprising
the
top
three
floors
of
the
64,000
square
foot
mixed-use
development,
is
owned
by
the
University
and
already
housing
early
student
arrivals.
Most
residents
are
expected
to
move
in
on
Saturday
and
Sunday,
August
18-19.
University
Market
Meanwhile,
the
finishing
touches
are
going
on
the
16,000
square
feet
of
ground-floor
commercial
space,
which
is
owned
and
leased
by
DiGeronimo
Companies
and
known
as
University
Market.
The
block
of
shops
and
restaurants
includes
BW's
new
campus
store,
The
Buzz
on
Front,
connected
to
a
full-service
Starbucks
that
is
franchised
by
the
University.
The
Buzz
on
Front
will
cater
to
student
needs,
but
George
Schiller,
director
of
campus
store
operations,
emphasizes
that
the
merchandise
will
have
broad
appeal
for
the
Berea
community.
"Our
textbook
and
course
materials
will
still
be
based
in
the
lower
level
of
the
Strosacker
Hall
student
union,"
Schiller
explains.
"The
retail
location
on
Front
St.
will
feature
BW
spirit
wear,
electronics
and
games,
general
interest
books
and
magazines,
greeting
cards,
gifts
and
much
more.
Our
students
push
us
to
keep
with
the
latest
trends."
Grand
Opening
Celebration
The
Buzz
on
Front
and
Starbucks,
will
join
fellow
tenants
Boss
ChickNBeer,
Dave's
Cosmic
Subs,
Lucy
Marie's
Boutique,
Papa
John's
Pizza
and
U.S.
Bank
in
a
Grand
Opening
celebration
from
September
15-22
with
events,
giveaways
and
specials
throughout
the
week.
Grand
Opening
week
kicks
off
with
a
splash
during
BW's
Homecoming
&
Community
Day
on
September
15.
The
businesses
have
staggered
soft
opening
dates
in
late
August
and
September.
DiGeronimo
is
currently
in
talks
with
a
tenant
to
occupy
the
final
space
in
the
development.
Impressive
New
Digs
Above
the
ground-floor
commercial
space,
the
Front
Street
Residence
Hall
is
ready
to
house
130-plus
students
in
81
studio
singles
and
double
suites
as
well
as
six
accessible
units.
BW
Resident
Assistant
Matthew
Sycle
'20
says
he
has
enjoyed
throwing
open
the
doors
to
unveil
the
newly
furnished
rooms
for
early
arriving
students
"like
an
episode
of
MTV
Cribs."
Sycle's
fourth-floor
room,
on
the
back
side
of
the
building,
features
a
view
of
BW's
picturesque
South
Quad.
City
spark
The
development,
located
adjacent
to
the
BW
Conservatory
of
Music's
Kulas
Musical
Arts
Building,
evokes
a
"Main
Street
Revisited"
look
that
complements
the
historic
charm
of
Berea.
The
project
aligns
with
Berea's
Master
Plan
and
longstanding
economic
development
goal
to
encourage
more
students
and
families
to
patronize
businesses
in
the
city's
downtown
core.
