UCLA Dining to renovate Covel, De Neve Grab ‘n’ Go dining halls over the summer

UCLA Dining will renovate two dining halls this summer.

Covel Commons Residential Restaurant and De Neve Grab ‘n’ Go will undergo renovations this summer and reopen fall quarter of 2019. UCLA Dining will update the guest and kitchen area in Covel, and add new items to the menu at De Neve Grab ‘n’ Go.

De Neve Grab ‘n’ Go remained closed this year due to low popularity among students during the 2017-2018 academic year, UCLA spokesperson Katherine Alvarado said.

De Neve Grab ‘n’ Go is scheduled to reopen during fall quarter. In an effort to increase student interest next year, De Neve Grab ’n’ Go will add new menu items, such as Mediterranean and Asian inspired “interchangeable bowl concepts,” Alvarado said.

She added Covel’s renovations will be broken into two phases – phase one will occur this summer, and phase two will occur spring 2020.

Students said they think the changes will have a mostly positive effect, but they do not think the renovations are necessary.

Mariah Miller, a third-year English student, said she thinks Covel does not compare favorably to other dining halls on the Hill, and that renovation could improve its quality.

“Compared to a lot of the other dining halls, it’s kind of lackluster because the interior isn’t as attractive as (Bruin Plate’s), and the food isn’t as good as the dishes at De Neve or Feast,” Miller said.

However, she said she does not think the renovations are necessary because she thinks they are focused more on improving aesthetics rather than infrastructure. She added that the university should focus its attention on improving areas of campus that actually need renovations.

“One question I’m asking is why similar improvements aren’t made to the libraries, and I’m reminded of the water stains on the ceilings of (Charles E. Young Research Library),” Miller said.

Celine Tsoi, a first-year psychology and political science student, said she thinks UCLA Dining should devote its resources to addressing the impacts of growing enrollment instead of carrying out what she thinks are unnecessary renovations of the dining halls.

“I don’t feel like they need to renovate Covel. I like the place and food there just fine,” Tsoi said. “I think it is important to meet the demands for enrollment growth.”

Alvarado said increases in student population and demand for housing prompted the renovations, and all costs for the renovations come from student housing fees.

The cost of the renovations has yet to be determined.