The opening of the South Campus Court of Sciences Student Center, originally scheduled for September and later pushed back to January, has been delayed again by ongoing construction.
Officials now hope the facility will open in late February, said Cindy Bolton, director of Associated Students UCLA Food Service, though she was reluctant to give an official date.
South Campus’ Bombshelter was demolished in December 2009 in preparation for the new Student Center, a project that was planned to take one and a half years. Construction has been underway for two years now.
“Construction is an unpredictable business, and many things have happened along the way,” Bolton said.
Rainstorms last week revealed some leaks that need to be taken care of, and there are other details that have been difficult to finish, she said.
What is left to do is mostly cosmetic ““ the glass in the doors is not quite right; the counters are not exactly what were expected; and some paint and patchwork is still needed, Bolton said.
These are mainly last-minute fix-ups that have to be done correctly, said Bob Williams, executive director of ASUCLA.
Bolton said ASUCLA is still within its $16.5 million budget for the project despite the delay. The new center will have full kitchen facilities and both indoor and patio seating. It will also feature a Subway and Yoshinoya, as well as two other restaurants.
One restaurant called Fusion will have a different cuisine every day, featuring Argentinean, Mediterranean, Vietnamese, Indian and Korean dishes. This type of eatery is unprecedented on campus, Bolton said.
Additionally, a new restaurant called Bombshelter Bistro will spotlight a more high-end, casual dining experience with healthier options. It will host rotating choices of entrees and sides that diners can choose from, such as braised short ribs and sliced beef, as well as breakfast options, including eggs and stuffed French toast, she said.
UCLA spokesman Steve Ritea said the certificate of occupancy ““ which deems a building suitable for people to be in ““ was issued Monday.
The contractor will hand over possession of the facility to the university soon, Bolton said.
Even after the building is transferred over to UCLA, there will need to be several weeks of preparation to bring in additional equipment and train staff, she said.
“It has been a long process, but it is very exciting,” Bolton said. “(The center) will add to the experience for everyone on campus, especially to those on South Campus who have never really had a good facility like (those located in) North Campus.”