The preliminary plans for the development of the South Campus Student Center, which will replace the current Bombshelter, have been completed, and construction will begin December 2009.
Associated Students UCLA is spearheading the $16.5 million project, with assistance from Capitol Programs, a branch of the university that oversees major campus construction.
The new center will replace the Bombshelter, an outdoor eating place that is more than 40 years old, said ASUCLA Executive Director Bob Williams.
In the 2002-2003 Master Plan outlining constructions and renovations across campus, the association defined a road map for ASUCLA restaurants to completely replace the Bombshelter, Williams said.
Nearly seven years later, the specifications of the South Campus Student Center have been developed by the ASUCLA Board of Directors and UCLA administration. Williams said the date of completion is set for spring 2011.
The new center will be about three times larger than the Bombshelter and will serve 2,600 daily meals instead of the current serving range of 1,200 to 1,400 meals.
Williams said the larger project allows for a cohesive study and social space for students in South Campus, which he said the Bombshelter does not provide.
Cindy Bolton, the director of ASUCLA food services, said the proposed center will have four food concepts, two coming from outside vendors and the other two operated by ASUCLA.
Bolton declined to state the names of the outside vendors, but said the ASUCLA concepts will include an Asian eatery with rice bowls and vegetables plate, as well as a “bistro” spot with pizzas, burgers and salads. Bolton added that there will likely be a fifth concept with coffee and frozen yogurt that has not yet been finalized.
The architecture of the center will also differ considerably from the Bombshelter, as it will emphasize a “landscape” look with a green building design, Williams said.
The project organizers are hoping to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design “Silver” Rating, which certifies building projects as environmentally responsible by utilizing natural ventilation, recycling construction materials, and incorporating low-water plumbing and landscape irrigation, Williams added.
Jared Fox, a graduate student on the ASUCLA Board of Directors, said the new facility will add extra seats in the outdoor patio, implement a small store for academic supplies, and provide indoor seating, which the current Bombshelter does not have.
Additionally, the center will provide extra meeting space for student groups and will be landscaped by water-efficient, native California plants, Fox said.
Initially, the association wanted a $12 million facility that would primarily work toward upgrading the food services portion of the Bombshelter.
The university asked ASUCLA to fund a larger, more comprehensive remodel that ended up costing $16.5 million, according to Daily Bruin archives.
ASUCLA and the university are splitting the cost of the $16.5 million, with ASUCLA contributing $8.5 million of the total.
A significant portion of the $8.5 million comes from a 2005 referendum titled SAFE, which greatly raised student fees to pay for the construction of ASUCLA facilities.
With the closing of the Bombshelter next December, Bolton addressed concerns about the lack of places to eat in South Campus.
“We will definitely provide some type of service options for food during the construction of the new facility, but the exact types and locations are still being determined,” Bolton said.
But Bolton added that the Bombshelter is not the only place in South Campus to enjoy a meal. Café Synapse in the Gonda Center offer meals including pizzas and sandwiches on the weekdays.