Western New England University will break ground on a new four-story, 70,000 square foot dining commons building on Tuesday, September 27, at 12:00 noon. The ceremony will be held on the green between the St. Germain Campus Center and Sleith Hall.
There will be a brief program with remarks by University President Anthony S. Caprio and Board of Trustees President Michael Serafino, followed by the traditional first shovel in the ground. Refreshments, including samples of new Aramark dining menus, will be served on the green.
Construction on the new dining commons is scheduled to begin immediately and is expected to be completed in 2018.
“This facility further demonstrates the University’s commitment to our students by offering a broad menu of fresh, customized meal options in a contemporary setting,” said Serafino. “The building will enhance our environmental stewardship through its state-of-the-art sustainability features, including high efficiency lighting, heat recovery technology, and composting of food waste.”
The first floor of the dining commons will include a retail mall with a Starbucks, grill and sandwich restaurant, bakery, lounge areas for students, and a dining and performance space that will be used for a variety of non-academic purposes including food preparation classes for students and staff, poetry readings, and entertainment.
The second and third floors will hold the main student dining halls. The fourth floor will include adjustable conference and meeting rooms, and a large outdoor terrace.
Along with the new dining hall, the project includes the relocation of one campus parking lot and the addition of another, with an overall addition of more that 100 new parking spaces.
The current dining facilities are housed in the St. Germain Campus Center, which will be renovated in the near future, and will accommodate an expanded Career Development Center, along with Academic Advising, the First Year Program, and additional student activity space. A skywalk will connect the two buildings.
