Ustler Development, Inc. and Development Ventures Group, Inc. announced today that Vera Asian has signed a lease at UnionWest at Creative Village in downtown Orlando.
UnionWest is the privately developed 15-story mixed-use student housing building located directly across from the new UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown campus. Both the campus and UnionWest are set to open in late August 2019.
Vera Asian, a locally owned Asian fast casual restaurant concept, leased 1,800 square feet on the ground floor with indoor and outdoor seating. Vera Asian is owned by Kim Nguyen, Founder and CEO of YCMG Brands, which specializes in design and management of fresh-to-order quick-service restaurants locally and across the country.
“We’re excited not only to join UnionWest, but also to become a member of the Creative Village community, which embodies our people-first approach to serving the neighborhood,” says Nguyen.
Vera Asian features made to order wok dishes and sushi rolls. A special addition to the location at UnionWest is a sushi robot. The sushi robot prepares and maintains the rice at perfect temperature and moisture to assist the sushi chef to serve the most delicious rolls. Vera Asian will also feature new grab and go items for students and staff on the run to class along with new savory breakfast items with a unique Asian flair.
Previously announced retail tenants at UnionWest are Addition Financial, Subway, Dunkin’ and Qdoba.
Retailers at UnionWest will serve the 640 students who will live in the building, as well as a student, faculty and staff population at the downtown campus of nearly 8,000, plus housing developments and businesses at the 68-acre, $1.5 billion Creative Village master redevelopment project. UnionWest also includes 105,000 square feet of space leased to UCF and Valencia for classrooms, student services, a state-of-the-art 8,000 square foot recreation and wellness center, study lounges, meeting rooms and more. Valencia College is relocating their renowned culinary institute to UnionWest, now named the Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality, thanks to a $1.5 million naming rights partnership.
“Vera Asian will be a great complement to our tenant mix,” said Craig Ustler, president and Owner of Ustler Development, Inc. “This restaurant concept helps round out our offerings at UnionWest.”
In August 2019, Creative Village will welcome students, faculty and staff to the new UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown campus, transforming downtown Orlando for generations to come. UnionWest at Creative Village represents one of the most innovative mixed-use urban university buildings in the country.
“UnionWest will function much like the Student Union for Creative Village in the heart of the UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown campus – a highly activated and programmed building where there will be events, socializing and strong foot traffic given the mix of services, housing and retail,” said Brandon Delanois, Vice President of Retail Advisory Services at JLL.
For more information on UnionWest, visit www.unionwestatcreativevillage.com.
For more information on retail leasing, visit www.creativevillagebroker.com/retail.