At our DC Mixed-Use Revolution event this week, Bozzuto Management's Stephanie Williams said having a holistically approached mixed-use project will always appeal to college students and Millennials. (You have to give that generation one thing: when they find something they like, they like it a lot.) So by incorporating unique design elements like making buildings look older as well as a locally grown retailer mix, Bozzuto's been able to get the first portion of its Monroe Street Market project near DC's Catholic University to full occupancy in just a few months.

We snapped the project late last year. A second building is already at 70% occupancy, she says, and selling renters—whether it's students or other folks associated with the university—on that carefully crafted vision has reaped big benefits. Of course, being near one of DC's coveted Metro stations doesn't hurt either. Bozzuto is JV'ing with Catholic U and local developer Jim Abdo.