The reopening of Rieber dining hall, which was expected to happen sometime this quarter, has been pushed back to fall 2011.
Construction costs on the project have come in below UCLA Housing’s initial budget, so the completion date has been delayed to allow for extra money to be put toward further enhancements to the dining hall, said Daryl Ansel, director of food and beverage for UCLA Housing and Hospitality Services.
These extra improvements include digital menu screens containing accurate nutrition, ingredient and allergen information, Ansel said.
In addition, a more efficient lighting system will be installed that can strategically illuminate various zones of the dining area, using less light in sunlit areas and more light in darker areas.
The construction of Rieber dining hall initially had a budget of $5.3 million, Ansel said. However, when the construction company submitted an estimate of $3.7 million, Housing and Hospitality Services realized it had a remaining $1.6 million to put toward further dining hall enhancements.
“We are still projecting to be under budget,” Ansel said. “The (remaining money) from the Rieber dining hall project would be put towards other construction projects on campus.”
University spokesman Phil Hampton said having the construction estimates come in lower than anticipated allows for housing to accommodate more of the features that students wanted.
While construction zones have become a constant reality at UCLA, Hampton said projects are scheduled to ensure students that the Hill can still function efficiently.
Plans for the renovation began about three to four years ago, Ansel said. While no employees were laid off as a result of its closure, UCLA Housing does anticipate hiring more employees.
Students had mixed reactions about the delay.
“I think that there are enough dining halls open on campus that a (postponement) of the opening of Rieber Hall dining would not be very noticeable,” said Alex Kreger, a third-year political science student.
Other students said it would be more convenient to have the dining hall open as soon as possible.
“Well, that kind of sucks,” said Lester Rodriguez, a fourth-year civil engineering student and Rieber Hall resident who will not be able to eat at Rieber before graduating.
Lines in other dining halls tend to get long, which might be alleviated by Rieber dining hall opening, said third-year cognitive science student Max Mansolf, who is not surprised by the postponement, given the frequency of construction delays on the Hill.
“This news doesn’t really come as a shock to me and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone else,” Mansolf said.