THREE CASE STUDIES SHOW INTEGRATED PROJECTS COMMAND 14–30% HIGHER RENTS PER SQFT
JUNE 2025
Apartment rents are shaped by a variety of factors that contribute to perceived value. Common drivers of price premiums include views (particularly water ones), floor level, finishes, amenity offering, neighborhood, and walkability among other attributes. As communities become more urbanized, one strategy to maximize appeal and prices for rental developments is to build and integrate them within a mixed-use development. These development types typically combine different land uses such as residential, retail, commercial, and entertainment within a single project or neighborhood thereby maximizing potential value for residents.
This report focuses on the rental premiums associated with mixed-use developments, where residential buildings are co-located within curated retail, dining, and lifestyle programming. The analysis focuses on three case study projects: Americana at Brand (Glendale, CA), Santana Row (San Jose, CA), and CityCenterDC (Washington, DC). For each case study, we compare the average price per square foot of active rental listings within the mixed-use project to a set of comparable developments.
The table below summarizes the findings for each project, with mixed-use premiums ranging from 14% to 30%.
Key Takeaways
•Clear rent premiums across various markets: these are seen in both urban and suburban areas. The Americana at Brand, located in Glendale, CA, achieves the most significant uplift at 30%, highlighting the value of highly curated lifestyle experiences, especially in more suburban areas.
•Experiences are key: these premiums are a byproduct of the project’s walkability to restaurants, shopping, and entertainment within their immediate community; residents are willing to pay a premium for convenience and exclusive/direct access
•Premiums hold across unit sizes: average unit sizes at the case study projects are comparable to or larger than their comps, suggesting the rent uplift is not tied to compact, efficient layouts. For example, units at the three Santana Row projects (Levare, Misora, and Santana Heights) average 1,164SF compared to the comparable developments which average 982SF, yet they still earn a 14% premium on a price per square foot basis
For more granular data on each case study project and the comparable set it was compared to, see the three tables below.
All information is from sources deemed reliable but no guarantee is made as to its accuracy. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to human errors, omissions, changes or withdrawals without notice.
