North Campus just got a little more appetizing.
Monday, the new Fireside Café in Pierpont Commons opened its doors after a six-month, $5.3 million renovation. The project is part of a series of Union renovations, which are funded in part by a $65-per-term student fee.
E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, is an outspoken advocate for the renovations and encouraged the University’s Board of Regents to approve the projects in December 2013. At the ceremony, Harper expressed gratitude for the renovations and joked about past critiques of the North Campus café.
“When you’ve been here for a while, like some of my colleagues, this is the end of an annual ‘Come to North Campus and get beaten up about how terrible the cafeteria is,’ ” Harper said. “I am thrilled because it means that I will not have to get that beating this year.”
Harper said the dining space is a reflection of the hard work and persistence of the many faculty and staff members who recognized the need for better student dining options on North Campus.
“This celebration is not only about the beautiful transformation of a facility, not only about creating a welcoming place for students, faculty and staff,” Harper said. “We have just been doggone determined that we would have a facility here worthy of our students and our community. And I think we have managed to do that, in spite of hard economic times.”
In addition to new fireplaces, the renovated common area includes an updated seating area and more windows to showcase a scenic view.
There are also several new options for the hungry students who find themselves on North Campus, including dine-in and to-go options to accommodate those with busy schedules.
For example, the Maize Blaze will feature unique, made-to-order items, while the Hearth will serve oven-baked pizza, sandwiches and other baked entrées. Other options include the “Greens. Grains. Soups.” salad bar, as well as Flare, which is staffed by a rotation of local restaurants throughout the week.
Before the project began, a group of faculty, staff and students came together to discuss their goals for the space. Members from the student organization Building a Better Michigan and the Pierpont Commons Board of Representatives played a significant role in the project’s planning, according to Pierpont Commons Director Michael Swanigan.
“Certainly what you see today is a result of some of those comments that we received from this specific community,” Swanigan said.
He added that he is happy with the finished product of the café and with the feedback he has received from students.
“I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out,” he said. “I am glad that we have this for the community and that it’s getting such positive feedback.”
Swanigan also said he appreciates that the café offers longer hours and a more visible dining area so students are more aware of all that North Campus has to offer.
Isaiah Bailey, vice chair of the Pierpont Commons Board of Representatives, echoed Swanigan’s sentiments, saying he is proud of the collaborative efforts that went into the space’s design and renovation.
“I think most importantly we had a group that was willing to work together through any challenges,” Bailey said. “In a few meetings, we even got to meet with the designers. It was a smooth process. It definitely could have been a lot tougher than it was.”
Bailey also emphasized how involved students were in the project, and encouraged students to stay involved in the future.
“It’s interesting to me that somebody can come with a vision and put something like this together from what was already here,” Bailey said. “To have been in the Commons Café before and see what it is now shows what amazing work can be done when you get people collaborating together and you have top notch designers who are here and putting together something students can really enjoy.”
Kalia Medeiros, a junior in the school of Music, Theater and Dance said she was excited about the renovations because she spends a lot of her time on North Campus and the new dining center is more accommodating of her nutritional interests.
“The design is impeccable the community areas allow for both social eating experiences or like a quite, comfortable study nook. I’m really excited that there is a big dining area the finally offers a lot of different healthy food options,” she said. “My first year was spent at Bursley (Residence Hall) and they had a little vegan corner that was like frozen bread and one type of cereal. Now that we can come here and get a lot of vegetarian options, that is really great.”