We were excited to see University Village featured in the Puget Sound Business Journal this month in "Anatomy of U Village." The article explores how the Seattle lifestyle center has evolved to become a well-loved community destination as well as one of the top performing retail centers in the country.
Part of what keeps U Village an interesting place to visit is the constant change, Bill says. "There's always something new at U Village, always something to watch - it keeps the visitor's experience active." Bill mentioned the wider appeal of U Village as key to its popularity. "The Village serves the neighborhood as well as being a destination for the greater city. It's a place where moms bring their kids and meet friends, families bring their out of town guests. The proximity to UW brings students and other young people, and it attracts people from longer distances in the Puget Sound region, and even Asian tour groups."
Many years ago, before "lifestyle retail centers" became part of the shoppers' lexicon, Bill was asked to present a case study of University Village at the Canadian Urban Institute annual conference in Toronto. "What surprised me was how many people had visited U Village and enjoyed its unique built environment, designed with peoples' experience in mind."