Reporter's notebook | Radian retail transforms Walnut St.

Last year, on the plot of land on the 3900 block of Walnut Street stood an odd-looking complex.

Asymmetric gaping holes spotted the metallic exterior.

When students came back to campus last August, they found that the skeletal structure had materialized into the Radian.

At first, many students didn't know what to make of this massive building coated in slabs of industrial cement. The opinions voiced ranged from overpriced luxury to dark minimalism.

For those who live there, like College sophomore Stephanie Siaw, the Radian was the ideal setup.

Siaw said CVS is "literally a step away" and the apartments were nicely furnished, with kitchen supplies included.

Yet, at the same time, students christened the Radian the "Death Star" - well, a postmodern version with laundry machines inside each room.

But with the new retail options opening on the building's ground floor, such as Chipotle and the Tap Room, the strip below the Radian seems to be gaining attraction both in appearance and in its appeal to Penn students.

With Chipotle came the crimson sign that added a splash of color to the building and attracted customers with spicy palates.

Engineering freshman Raymond Harari treks to the Radian from class on a regular basis to eat a fajita burrito.

Although the lines are not as long as January's Free Burrito Day, Chipotle is usually bustling, he said.

The neighboring Jimmy John's also draws a daily crowd.

Jimmy John's franchise owner Brett Weinheimer, a 2000 Wharton alumnus, recalled in a previous interview that the 3900 block of Walnut Street was barren before the Radian was built.

"Hardly anything was there," he said. "And it was kind of sketchy."

He picked the prime location of the belt under the Radian to open his store, saying it will be a "hot spot" for late nights.

Jimmy John's is open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.

After a late night downtown, groups of students come in waves to enjoy a gourmet sub, Weinheimer said.

He noticed that Radian residents order, eat and then go upstairs to bed.

And with the opening of Capogiro, which is scheduled for later this month, students will also be able to enjoy Italian gelato and cuisine.

"There's certainly a lot of college life in the Radian area," College freshman Charmaine Hung said.

Although the Allegro's usuals will remain at the south end of campus, more students are gradually drifting to the Radian strip, she said.

With more student life blossoming there, the term "Death Star" seems ironic.

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