North and Kendall Campus have decided to give their cafeterias a facelift—for the first time in 40 years.
At North Campus, cafeteria remodeling is expected to be completed by Oct. 31. The Kendall Campus cafeteria is expected to be completed by the first week of September.
“With the start of a new project, it’s always iffy because of things we cannot control. Before we started we wanted to make sure the permits were accurate and filed properly,” said Brian Stokes, senior director of campus administration at Kendall Campus.
Kendall Campus will account for students’ and staff’s needs by providing pre-made meals at the KoffeeHouse next to building 2.
“We will take every step necessary to work with Canteen to make sure food is ready and available for students,” Stokes said.
Construction at the North Campus cafeteria began on July 16.
“We had taken every measure to make sure that the project wasn’t delayed and we would be on schedule,” said Fermin Vazquez, senior director of campus administration at North Campus. “We expected the renovations to be completed around late October but we could see it opening sooner.”
With the October reopening in mind, North Campus has taken the measures to ensure students and employees have access to food, as well. Vazquez said food will be provided at both the Palms and Lakeside Cafes. There will also be at least two mobile distribution centers spread across campus.
Both campuses designed the cafeterias as a way to bring a breath of fresh air to the student body.
“Students and faculty deserve this upgrade,” Stokes said.
Though each cafeteria will be different architecturally, they will both feature vibrant colors and improved seating. Each campus is expected to have various seating arrangements, allowing students to sit alone or accommodate larger groups.
The cafeterias will also change how students and employees order and pay for food. There will be digital menus and individual serving areas for different types of foods to make ordering, preparing and paying for food more efficient.
“We wanted to get rid of the old cafeteria vibes people had from elementary school,” Vazquez said.
North Campus will also include a café where Starbucks-brand products will be served, though Vazquez emphasizes that there will not be a Starbucks branch on campus.
“These renovations are attempts to change the atmosphere of the student body from it being a commuter college to one where students feel that they don’t have to come here, go to their classes and leave,” Vazquez said. “This is our way of showing that you have the available resources to study and enjoy your time at the college.”
