While students were home for the summer, Binghamton University Physical Facilities was working to renovate buildings on campus, and construction is still ongoing as Sodexo dining services adds more food options.
The Student Wing and Lecture Hall construction projects have been completed, adding more classroom space. The renovation of Old Digman Hall of Old Dickinson Community is also finished, and is open for residents this fall. Physical Facilities can now start renovations on Cayuga Hall of College-in-the-Woods, now that there is space in Old Dickinson Community for students who would have been displaced by Cayuga Hall’s temporary closure.
According to Karen Fennie, the communications specialist for Physical Facilities, it may appear that much of the construction is not finished, but most of the work has been done.
“Some contractors may have odds and ends to finish up with landscaping or addressing small punch list items,” Fennie said. “We try to complete a lot of the more disruptive work that entails road closures or utility shutdowns in the brief period when most students are away but it is impossible to address everything in that short time period.”
Old Digman Hall of Old Dickinson Community is a health and wellness-themed dorm and according to Fennie, this will offer students more living options.
“The Lecture Hall and Student Wing renovations have created additional classroom space with modern technologies,” Fennie said. “The Old Digman renovation provides a unique housing environment while creating the opportunity for us to do phased renovations in other old residential areas.”
Sodexo has increased its dining options in Hinman Dining Hall, with a licensed Starbucks and Subway, which will be completed by September. These will replace Hinman Nite Owl, and proximity to Parking Lot M will add convenient places to eat for students who commute to campus.
The Marketplace is also expanding, with the addition of a sushi station as an extension of Mein Bowl. Construction is ongoing for a pavilion outside the Marketplace fireplace area, which is scheduled to be completed by Family Weekend in mid-September.
According to Jim Ruoff, resident district manager of Sodexo dining services, these openings will create new dining choices, and if students have input they can submit it through the Student Culinary Council.
“The opening of the Starbucks and Subway will be transformational for the Hinman Community and everyone that parks in Lot M,” Ruoff said. “The area just has a great feel to it. I think the opening of the sushi station in the Marketplace will be very popular also. I am really looking forward to student input through the Student Culinary Council for our changes for next year.”
Stephanie Tsalwa, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering who worked and lived on campus throughout the summer, said she thought the new additions were good for the campus, but that the construction hindered the orientation experience for new BU students.
“I’m super excited about whatever is happening at the Marketplace; it seems like it’s going to be a cool modern space for students,” Tsalwa said. “On the other side, I feel like the construction during orientation can make campus look uninviting, especially with all the detours on the Brain which also forced the buses to use different routes.”