Samuel Linstead-Atkinson
Connector Staff
As South Campus residents and patrons become accustomed to the crumbling balconies and the shouted jargon of construction workers, many questions remain regarding the outcome of this project and what the impact on campus will be.
The building formerly known as McGauvran Student Center is to be repurposed to include new dining options and student facilities. The current dining hall building that contains the Mill City Restaurant will be subsequently torn down as part of an effort “to create a new green space on campus,” said Fred Gavriel, project manager.
“What set the stage for this,” said Carla Morelli, senior campus planner, “is that we have a campus-wide strategic plan to the year 2020…and in that plan…we concentrated specifically on the South Campus sector and realized there was an underserved need in the dining realm, where the students were being adequately served, but the staff and faculty and visitors really weren’t. We wanted to serve them as well.”
Students who live off campus were thought of as a part of the proposal, too. “In creating this new dining hall there will be a place where people will be able to get a late meal on campus,” Morelli explained.
Bo Armstrong, 18, a freshman commuter, summed up the benefit this held for him when he said, “That’s great. We need something like that.”
Options will exist, too, for those who are unable to sit for a hot meal. Frozen and pre-prepared food will be marketed as a solution for such patrons. With this, Morelli said, “the commuter experience will be enhanced.”
Upon completion, Gavriel affirms, the first and second floors will debut “a world-class dining facility.” The first floor will be comprised of traditional dining services as well as accommodations for patrons with dietary needs and restrictions. The second floor will feature a retail dining space with restaurants such as Freshii and Subway. This level will also include a bakery and a convenient store.
The plan also contains other student facilities that will be located on the third floor. Classrooms, meeting rooms and study areas will be located on this level, as well as six large seminar rooms. The existing connector to O’Leary Library will remain intact, but will be renovated along with the exterior. The fourth floor will be reserved for mechanical space and operation. Gavriel and his team estimated the total cost of this project to be $33 million.
Many students support the construction that is taking place on South, regardless of the cost. “I think it’s worth it. The dining hall on South is really dated,” said Elsbeth Crowe, 20, a junior psychology major.
Phillip Wakefield, 21, music business major, expressed his opinion of the project when he said, “I’m really excited about the new dining hall, however, I’m a senior so I won’t be able to see it when it’s done, but for the students who will see it…I hope they have better quality food and are able to diversify their palate as a result.”
Others gave their approval in the name of nutrition and variety as well. “I think there should be healthier options,” said Kristy Robertson, 19, nutrition major.
While many students agreed that this transformation is for the better, some collaborated the sentiment that McGauvran Hall will be missed despite what is to come. “There used to be fantastic pool tables there, the video game systems were awesome, and there was a great opportunity for the clubs,” said Wakefield.
Regardless of the cost and the benefits, this project will transform both the appearance of and the experience on South Campus. This project is expected to be completed by Nov., 2016.
If you have any questions regarding this article, contact the author at: samuel_linsteadatkinson@student.uml.edu
