University Village remains standing for just a while longer (Julia Bakerink/Neon Tommy)

Rosie, the owner of Touch of Class who declined to give her last name, is worried about moving her store somewhere else when she is forced to move for the construction of the new Village at USC. 

Dozens of shop owners with stories much like Rosie’s will be forced to relocate by the end of May due to the closing of the University Village just north of USC’s campus, in order to make room for the redevelopment, set to begin on June 2. 

“All of the businesses here are looking to start over,” Rosie said. “It’s not easy. We’ve all made strong friendships with students that are regular customers, and relocating will ruin this. USC is just expanding and putting bars up to keep us out.”

According to USC’s Director of Capital Construction of Development, William Marsh, all stores will be welcome in the new University Village. Yet Rosie fears that “the rent will probably be too high to move back in.” 

The battle over how the University’s planned remodel could hurt longtime non-university affiliated residents and businesses has been a subject of controversy for over a year now. 

ALSO READ: University Village Remodel Faces Less Opposition After Agreeing To Changes

“We aren’t regulating who can come in and who cannot,” said Marsh. “Stores will have opportunities to come back depending on if they want to come back.” 

Additionally Marsh says that although the new University Village can be considered an extension of the university’s campus, it will also cater to members of the local community who are not students with a grocery store and community center. 

 “We’ve tried to reach out to the community during the opposition and those are the things that they have wanted, and we are providing that,” said Marsh. “The community should feel very welcome at the end of the day.” 

Upon its completion in fall 2017, the $700 million University Village project will offer customers 120,000 square-feet of retail that will include businesses such as the Bank of America, a Starbucks and a full-service grocery store that is yet to be determined. 

Despite Marsh’s assurances, complaints have been raised about whether or not current residents will be able to afford 

In addition, USC students will have access to a 30,000 square-foot fitness center, a “USC Trojan Town” that will sell USC apparel, a Trojan Bar and Grill facility, and roughly 2,400 bed spaces. Five hundred and ten of those bed spaces will be located in Honors College, a building dedicated to freshman honor students. 

ALSO READ: USC Gets City OK To Bring 'Sticks Of Dynamite And Bulldozers' For University Village 

Ashley Wong, a USC freshman, is excited to see the new University Village come to fruition in her senior year. 

“I think it’s great that they are finally taking a real initiative to establish something accessible right next to campus for students to enjoy,” said Wong.  I think that the Village will definitely boost the campus’ morale.” 

Rosie, too, hopes that students will enjoy what University Village will hold in the future. 

“For the sake of the students I pray to God that when the new University Village opens it will be successful,” said Rosie. “I really appreciate the students. They are not just customers, but my friends. My store here or not, I hope for the best for them.”

Contact Contributor Julia Bakerink here.