The Stony Brook Faculty Student Association (FSA) has decided to renovate and modernize the Kelly Dining Center in a way that will improve and expand the largest residential dining center at Stony Brook University.
“The Kelly Café Building will be an 8,000 square feet grade level building, with an additional 3,000 square feet basement,” said Angela Agnello, director of marketing and communications at the Stony Brook University Faculty Student Association.
The Kelly Dining Center was last renovated in 2000, and in 2004, the university decided to include Kelly Coffee and the Tea House.
The renovation of Kelly Dining will cost approximately $23 million. The anticipated cost includes the site assessment, architectural and engineering services, composition and supplies, according to the Stony Brook Faculty Association’s website.
The meal plan revenues through the FSA are funding the Kelly Dining Center renovation. The university will donate and provide funding for foundation replacement affiliated with the restoration.
“The Kelly Dining Center will be a better place to eat,” said Katiuska Pulgar, a junior biochemistry major. “The new place will be warm and it will welcome people to come and eat.”
Study Collaborate Design is helping the university expand and rejuvenate the Kelly Dining Center. The new Kelly Dining Center will provide students with more food stores.
The company has organized a completion of two phases on the residential dining center.
Phase one is the West Side Dining. The dinner will include a Corner Café, Bob’s BBQ, International Market, Kelly Deli and an eastern cuisine restaurant.
Students will be able to hang out with friends, chat and enjoy beverages, according to the Stony Brook Faculty Student Association’s website.
The second phase will include salad entrees, pizza and paninis and a convenience store.
FSA and an independent design consultant gathered surveys and conducted a focus group on residential dining.
“In many instances, student input from this group helped Campus Dining to adjust menu options to fit the needs and wants of students,” said Agnello.
In 2008, Dining Services Resolutions student members and design team analyzed and examined renovated dining halls at public northeastern campuses including University of Rhode Island and University of Massachusetts at Amherst, according to the Stony Brook Faculty Student Association’s website.
The concept draft was presented to the full membership of the Dining Services Resolutions Committee.
In 2009, the FSA decided to start to the architectural planning process. Students gave their honest feedback and comments on Kelly Dining renovation.
“Students will have more variety of places to choose from,” said Akshay Rajann, a sophomore economics major. “There will be more dining halls and more places to eat.”
Students’ feedback had an impact on the project. The members of the Dining Services Resolutions Committee decided to approve the project.
Students’ recommendations and feedback gave the Dining Services Resolution Committee an ideal view on the Campus Dining.
Among the members that agreed with the project are students, faculty members, members of the Campus Dining Services, and representatives from the FSA.
The Kelly Dining is currently working on the West Side Dining plan. The trash compactor, the roof, phase one walk-in refrigerators and freezer are a few assignments that have been completed.
The residential dining center will have a few changes for vegetarians consisting of additional entrée choices and sides and price reductions, according to the Stony Brook Faculty Student Association’s website.
The association will receive a construction schedule from the contractor in December. New Side Dining is expected to complete by spring of 2013.
The expected date for completion of the Kelly Dining Center is not yet confirmed.
