Downtown apartments bring more students, business

Local downtown business owners are hoping a new apartment complex that houses mostly students will enhance commerce in the area. Smallwood Plaza, located at 455 N. College Ave. in the heart of downtown Bloomington, is a newly built apartment complex that has attracted many students.\nTenants believe the apartment complex is a cross between a dorm and a hotel.\n"It definitely has a dorm-like atmosphere," said Rachel Weissman, a sophomore in the Kelley School of Business. Weissman said she decided to live in Smallwood Plaza because a lot of her friends live there and its location right in town by the night life.\nThe large influx of new students has led local businesses to make changes in their operations. \nBloomington Bagel Co. store manager David Boyer has expanded his business as a result of the growing market.\n"Smallwood Plaza is the single biggest of the new developments in the area, and it was a contributing factor to opening a new BBC location," Boyer said. "We have already noticed increases, and have changed our hours to stay open longer."\nOther local businesses are anticipating more patrons and increased sales. Linda Prall, owner of Kilroy's Sports Bar, said she hopes the new apartments will bring more business to her establishment. \n"We're hoping (Kilroy's) will gain sales at other times during the day such as lunch on the way to class or dinner on the way home," she said. "We have lost a lot of stores in (Bloomington in) the last couple of years, and hopefully this will eliminate empty store fronts and keep downtown more vibrant and alive."\nJohn Jacobs, Smallwood Plaza developer, said the company's goal is to operate similarly to a hotel by offering maid and linen services in the future.\n"There seemed to be a perceived demand for a different type of housing that didn't exist downtown," he said.\nNinety percent of the complex's tenants are students. The complex was not specifically marketed toward students, but Jacobs said the marketing happened to attract mostly students.\nAccording to the apartment complex's Web site, Smallwood Plaza consists of three buildings with seven types of apartment layouts. Two bedroom apartments start at $1,045 per month, while a three or four bedroom apartment can cost up to $2,295 per month. Some amenities include high-speed Internet, cable TV and membership to the Cardinal Fitness center located in one of the buildings.\nEven though the complex is expensive by Bloomington standards, some students choose to live in Smallwood Plaza because of the price. The majority of student tenants are from major cities, said Carrie Lentz, property manager of Smallwood Plaza, including Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. \n"The price is reasonable compared to New York real estate," said Long Island, N.Y., native Weissman, "and it is worth the money for the newer amenities compared to older apartments,"\nFor more information about Smallwood Plaza, visit www.smallwoodplaza.com.\n-- Contact staff writer Daria Kamalipour at dkamalip@indiana.edu.