The construction of the new residential halls Hedrick Summit,
Rieber Terrace and Rieber Vista will include a “dining
boutique restaurant” but no new full-sized dining hall to
accommodate the increase in students living in on-campus
housing.
Dining Services officials said that though there will be an
influx of hundreds of new residents in on-campus housing, they do
not anticipate problems of overcrowding in existing dining
halls.
“Rieber 2,” the temporary name of the newest dining
facility, will include both Mexican and Asian cuisine and is set to
open at some point next year, said Associate Director of Dining
Services Connie Foster, mentioning the recent rain as causing
possible construction delays. It will offer both buffet-style and
to-go meal options.
“We analyzed, took counts, mapped seats,” Foster
said. “Based on the information, people should be well taken
care of.”
The new residential halls are nine stories high and will include
a total of 1,986 bed spaces when all three are open.
Rieber Vista and Hedrick Summit will be open this fall, and
Rieber Terrace will be open in fall 2006.
Suzanne Seplow, director of the Office of Residential Life, said
the plan is to be able to offer housing to all students within the
decade. Current second-year students have been offered housing for
next year.
“(Dining concerns) were incorporated into the
thinking,” Seplow said.
“Given that the students can eat at any dining hall, there
is capacity (for the additional residents),” she said.
Much of the new housing will be up near Hedrick Hall; its dining
hall is less crowded, Seplow added.
But some students say they have been experiencing crowded dining
halls this year.
Ben Cox, a first-year physiological science student and resident
of Delta Terrace, said he plans to live in Rieber next year and is
concerned about dining.
“It’s already crowded,” Cox said. “It
seems like the problem will just be compounded.”
Cox said he does not believe that the dining boutique would be a
substitute for a dining hall.
Michelle Melchor, a first-year political science student, said
she is also planning on living in on-campus housing next year, and
she also expressed concern about the hours that the dining boutique
would have.
Puzzles, Bruin Cafe and Crossroads all have limited hours.
But Foster said the hours of operation will depend on the number
of students who live on the Hill next year.
“We could look at Puzzles opening for dinner, depending on
the number (of students) coming in,” Foster said.
Foster also mentioned the possibility of a new menu at Rieber
and at the dining halls that get less traffic in order to disperse
the crowds.
Most students eat at Covel Commons and De Neve dining halls.
“Hedrick and Rieber are really underutilized,”
Foster said. She added that they would consider “tweaking the
hours” of other dining halls as well, if it becomes
necessary.
“We’ve done a really thorough analysis,”
Foster added.