Sept. 4, 2013

Monroe Street Market Signs Barnes & Noble @ Catholic University as Anchor Retailer

National Retailer Joins Nearly One-Million-Square-Foot, Mixed-Use Development at the Brookland-CUA Metro Station in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, DC - September 4, 2013 - The Catholic University of America and the Bozzuto Group, a Greenbelt, Md.-based real estate services company, today announced that Barnes & Noble @ Catholic University Booksellers will serve as a retail anchor for Monroe Street Market, a multiphase, mixed-use development located on five city blocks in Washington, D.C., adjacent to the Brookland-CUA Metro Station, and directly across the street from the University.

The store will feature 14,000 square feet of retail space on two levels, a 44-seat Starbucks-branded café, and designated areas for Catholic University textbook and school spirit sales. Construction is scheduled to begin within the next 60 days and the store is expected to open in spring 2014.

Located in the Cornerstone building of Monroe Street Market, the Barnes & Noble College Booksellers and Starbucks Café will front Monroe Street, N.E., between Michigan Avenue and 7th Street., N.E.

The Barnes & Noble @ Catholic University store will feature a wide assortment of books, periodicals, book-related gifts, and other items, as well as textbooks and University-themed and seasonal merchandise for the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Catholic University community.

"We are thrilled to welcome Barnes & Noble @ Catholic University to the unique mix of residences, arts, vibrant shops, and restaurants at Monroe Street Market," said Toby Bozzuto, president, The Bozzuto Group. "We believe that this development is so much more than brick and mortar - it's a place to explore, meet new people, and try new things. It is where artists and residents will share spaces and ideas, and for that reason, we know this will be a vibrant addition to the community."

"The lease agreement that The Catholic University of America signed with Bozzuto to open the Barnes & Noble @ Catholic University bookstore at Monroe Street Market represents an exciting continuation of a positive relationship that our University has enjoyed with this major bookstore company," said John Garvey, president of The Catholic University of America. "Barnes & Noble College Booksellers has been our campus bookstore since 2012. When the new bookstore opens, it will free up space currently occupied by Barnes & Noble on our campus for other important uses."

"Barnes & Noble College is very excited to anchor the new Monroe Street Market development project in Washington, D.C.," said Max J. Roberts, CEO of Barnes & Noble College. "We're confident that The Catholic University of America Bookstore will be an outstanding addition to Monroe Street Market and will offer students, faculty, alumni, and local residents an exceptional shopping experience and first-class customer service. The new store will continue to support students' success at Catholic University by providing the widest array of affordable textbook options and an unmatched digital learning experience."

The Bozzuto Group, Catholic University, and Abdo Development broke ground on Monroe Street Market in November 2011. Several years earlier, Catholic University had publicly announced its decision to develop its south campus. The University demolished three of its residence halls to make way for Monroe Street Market.

A multiphase project, the development will ultimately consist of three buildings, Brookland Works, Portland Flats, and Cornerstone, encompassing approximately 720 residences, 45 townhomes, 83,000 square feet of street-level retail, 15,000 square feet of artist studio space, a 3,000-square-foot community arts center, and 850 parking spaces.

The pet-friendly apartment community will feature nearly 20,000 square feet of amenity space, including indoor and outdoor lounges with fireplaces; a 24-hour fitness center with yoga/Pilates studio; lounge, community room, and billiards; E-café; outdoor grilling stations; spa-style pool with expansive sundeck; outdoor lounges with bars and grills; as well as lush, beautifully landscaped courtyards.

In June, Monroe Street Market announced its first retail tenant, &pizza, a pizzeria with locations on H Street, N.E. and U Street, N.W. The pizzeria will be located in the Portland Flats building.

The Monroe Street Market leasing office is now open at 701 Monroe Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017. For more information, visit www.monroestreetmarket.com or call 866-339-1478.

About The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America, founded in 1887 by the U.S. Catholic bishops with the support of Pope Leo XIII, is the national University of the Catholic Church in the United States. Established as a graduate research center, the University began offering undergraduate education in 1904 and today is home to 12 schools. Catholic University is the only American university with ecclesiastical faculties granting canonical degrees in three disciplines. The University's verdant 180-acre campus, located just a few miles north of Capitol Hill, allows students easy access to the wide range of educational, cultural, and political opportunities that Washington, D.C. has to offer. For more information, please visit cua.edu .

About The Bozzuto Group Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. , area, and celebrating its 25th year in business, The Bozzuto Group is a diversified residential real estate company that provides a broad range of real estate services throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The company's areas of expertise lie in homebuilding and multifamily development, as well as construction and management both for itself and its clients. The company's skills have been attested to by the National Association of Home Builders, who recognized Bozzuto as the nation's premier apartment development company, and twice as management company of the year.

Throughout The Bozzuto Group's 25-year history, the company has developed, acquired, and built more than 35,000 homes and apartments and currently manages nearly 40,000 apartment units spread along the Atlantic Coast between Northern Virginia and Boston. The company is committed to providing quality housing for individuals of all income levels, producing and managing everything from luxury homes and apartments to affordable housing solutions. For more information, please visit bozzuto.com .