With the completion of new student housing, including some luxury apartment buildings, a flood of fresh students have arrived in Dinkytown.

And with this influx of residents in the area’s core, some area businesses are expecting increases in customers, the Minnesota Daily reported Thursday.

Two of the new apartment buildings — the Venue and the Marshall — have reported large capacities with about 1,000 beds filled and combined room for almost 350 more people.

New stores Target Express and Gina + Will sit at the ground level of each new apartment building, providing cost-effective options for basic goods like clothing, some groceries and necessary household items.

Overall, the openings of these mixed-use buildings mark a positive change for Dinkytown.

Putting aside nostalgia-based arguments against changes in the area, it’s clear that adding to the residential capacity of Dinkytown’s core will help businesses of all kinds survive.

With more students living close to where the action happens, we should expect a positive economic impact on both chain restaurants and local establishments.

While it has been disappointing to see campus-area landmarks like House of Hanson and the Podium shutter their doors in recent years, putting more students’ homes just steps away from any Dinkytown establishment should help ensure the longevity of what classic establishments are left in the area.

The effects of new development are still unclear, but we have a guarded optimism that they will help keep Dinkytown vibrant.