After three years of work, the $700 million USC Village project is nearing completion.

The 15-acre mixed-use development—the largest development project in the university and South L.A.'s histories—is replacing the former University Village shopping mall at Jefferson Boulevard and Hoover Street.



The development will have 130,000 square feet of retail space, new academic facilities, housing for 2,700 students, over 400 spaces for retail-specific parking, and 1,272 indoor bike racks for residents, along with 530 outdoor bike racks open to the community from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The village—designed by Harley Ellis Devereaux in the same red-brick style as the rest of the USC campus—is centered around a faux-village square replete with a steepled clocktower.

"The USC Village will be an architectural masterpiece," USC President C.L. "Max" Nikias stated in 2013 during his annual address to the university faculty. "It will look like a medieval Tuscan village redefined for the 21st century."

As for retail tenants, Trader Joe's and Target Express are set to open their doors for the project's August 17 grand opening. Trejo's Cantina, Rance's Chicago Pizza, Baked Bear, Honeybird, SunLife Organics, Greenleaf Gourmet ChopShopand, Wahlburgers, Cafe Dulce, and BBCM are also moving in (among plenty of others).

An aerial video from last month gives a tour of the development as finishing touches are put in place: