SOCIALIZING IN THE SQUARE
By DANIELLE ABRIL
Link to Article
Published: 18 April 2013 10:09 AM
Updated: 18 April 2013 01:39 PM
Lauren Williams rarely ever travels farther than a couple minutes from her apartment at the Residences at Frisco Square.
“We wanted to be somewhere fun,” she said of the decision she and her husband made about where to live. “All the concerts, all the bars here — it’s easy for us to walk to.”
Williams, 23, moved to the mixed-use development, consisting of retail, office and living space, in central Frisco in November. Since then, she’s worked, lived and socialized in and around the square.
Her community and those located south of Eldorado Parkway, north of Stonebrook Parkway/Rolater Road, east of the Dallas North Tollway and west of the line that follows North County Road down to Main Street and Preston Road were ranked as the top neighborhoods for people ages 18-24, according to a recent data analysis conducted by The Dallas Morning News.
The analysis took into account factors that young people considered to be top priorities when choosing a place to live, including safety, affordability, schools and proximity to entertainment.
Frisco Mayor Maher Maso was not surprised at the community’s high ranking. The city’s median age is 34, and the area around the square is “growing rapidly,” he said.
“If you take that 30,000-foot view [of the area], it’s at the heart of Frisco,” he said. “It’s still exploding, so clearly we are an attractive destination for that age group.”
In addition to various restaurants and bars located at and near the square, the area boasts FC Dallas Stadium, where professional and high school sporting events and concerts are hosted; the Frisco Public Library, Cinemark and downtown Frisco. It also neighbors Warren Sports Complex and two community parks.
The square is also the hub of many of Frisco’s community events, including Christmas in the Square, during which more than 175,000 lights choreographed to music are on display; the Frisco Farmer’s Market; the Community Parade; and Arts in the Square.
Sineath Sam, 24, moved to the square from Austin a few weeks ago.
“There’s just so much to do,” she said as she walked her dog through the square on a sunny Friday evening. “There’s a lot of stuff within walking distance.”
Sam and Williams are not alone in their attraction to the proximity of living near entertainment. Managers at the Residences at Frisco Square said they have a high percentage of young people within that age group living in the complex.
“They’re in school or they have full-time jobs and are in school,” said business manager Tami Box, who labeled the square as Frisco’s “hub of entertainment.” “We see a lot of teachers for Frisco ISD and sometimes Lewisville and Prosper.”
The apartment complex hosts a number of social events throughout the year, often taking advantage of some of the partnerships it has with restaurants in the square.
Williams said she would compare the feeling to that of dorm life, adding she often runs into the same young people at different social events and locales in the area.
One of the hot spots for young people is II Brothers Grill & Bar, which is located across Frisco Square near FC Dallas Stadium.
“We get a lot of young people [visiting],” said Daniel Combs, general manager. “We have the apartments across the street and then all the FC Dallas people are under 21.”
The bar and grill not only attracts 18- to 24-year-old customers but also young employees. Combs estimated that five staffers in his team, which ranges from 11 to 24 employees depending on the season, are within that age group.
But the current draw to the area is just in its infancy, according to Maso. And for people like Williams, who hopes to see more bars open in the neighborhood, there is much yet to come.
“The city is committed to the area,” Maso said, adding that three new restaurants are scheduled to open in the square later this year. “The young of our community is really going to like what’s taking place. It’s going to be really fun out here.”