Andrews Dining Commons, a new eatery, campus center and study lounge, is on schedule to open in Andrews Hall in January, Senior Associate Dean of Residential Life and Dining Services Richard Bova told The Herald.
The new eatery will be a relocated and expanded version of the Gate, the only current on-campus dining option on Pembroke campus besides the Verney-Wooley Dining Hall. Bova said Andrews Dining Commons will function as a place for students to eat, socialize and study.
The future use of the Gate’s current space is still undetermined, Bova said.
There will be two main food stations in the eatery. The first will include some of the Gate’s current selections, Bova said, serving various types of pizzas, paninis and pastas. It will have the same pizza ovens currently used at the Gate. The second food station will offer an Asian fusion menu, with all the offerings containing fresh vegetables and ingredients, Bova said.
The front of the new space will feature a common area with seating for about 125 students, Bova said. There will be other seating for studying and socializing, including tables and more comfortable chairs and lounge areas.
Five glass-walled rooms around the edge of the room will offer a space for groups to eat and work together with some privacy, Bova said.
The space will include a seminar room for 25 people off a side hallway. The University will begin scheduling first-year and upper-class seminars in that space, Bova said.
There will also be a printing station in the new space, according to the Facilities website.
Andrews Dining Commons will have a contemporary aesthetic, with an open kitchen and a glass-enclosed staircase that will lead to a 24-hour study lounge on the first floor of Andrews Hall overlooking the patio, Bova said. This level will also have a large fireplace, according to the Facilities website.
Bova said the project is running “right on schedule” and that, aside from a few touch-ups, the space will be complete by Dec. 20. He said he expects Andrews Dining Commons to be open and fully functional during the first week of classes in January.
The space will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day, Bova said. The V-Dub will continue operating only on weekdays, but Andrews Dining Commons will be open over the weekend.
Some students living on and near Pembroke campus said they are excited about the new dining space. Many said they felt that a comparable venue near Pembroke has been lacking, adding that they welcome the new common area.
Scott Freitag ’14, who lives off-campus near Pembroke, said he is excited about the more healthful options that will be offered in the new location. Freitag, a Herald opinions columnist, added that he especially hopes the eatery offers more high-protein foods than are currently available at the Gate.
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