Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. I also think UConn lacking any sort of traditional strip of bars like most but universities also makes it tough.
They can’t have any $1 slice spots because there is no concentration of late night drinkers. Storrs Center was a big whiff IMO, the town of Mansfield wanting it to be family oriented / the crazy rents / the anti party culture of the Herbst tenure when it was being built really forced it to become a bunch of chain spots serving fast food.
For as great as UConn is, some things about the university are an enigma.
I have said this here in the past, but I don't think it was widely accepted; the Storrs downtown was not built for the benefit of the town residents in any way, shape or form.
Residents were asked what the priorities were for a downtown and the answers were sidewalk cafes, on street parking, orientation to the sun and a green for public events.
Instead we got, no outdoor dining options, basically no on street parking (all loading zones) and a tiny green that is all pavers and right on the busiest stretch of road in a 25 mile radius.The only thing prioritized was bed space.
The only chance the downtown has to be any kind of draw is for it start to age out, rents come down and it develops some grit. I know far more townies who were dead set against the whole process than wanting it to be family oriented. It feels bad that I was for it, because it is an unmitigated disaster at this point.
The “downtown “ is not any sort of town space. It is essentially a giant , private rented dormitory for grad students and some seniors.