Due to unforeseen challenges that arose during construction, the opening of the new Dining Hall has been pushed back from the start of next school year to December 2025. First, town approval for building permits took longer than anticipated and delayed the start of the project.
Then the building team discovered that the soil beneath a portion of the site was not stable enough to support the building’s foundation. Additional soil needed to be trucked in before the team could continue, delaying the projected completion of construction from the end of the summer to early November 2025.
Mr. Michael Virzi, director of facilities, said, “We are nearing the completion of the structural steel; concrete floors will begin early next week; rough mechanical, plumbing, and electrical infrastructure is in progress and will continue through the spring. We hope to see the exterior wall framing beginning within the next several weeks.”
The community will continue to dine in the temporary Ford Food Court (FFC) through November 2025.
Mr. Mike Webster, general manager of dining services, said, “What we have tried to do in this temporary dining space is emulate the design principles of our food service— the salad bar, the deli, the hot line, and the stir fry station—to get the community used to what it is going to be like in the new space. There has also been the opportunity to try out new things in the FFC. We have a gluten-free station now, and we’ve used this opportunity to really build on our allergy awareness.”
While construction is set to end in November, the Dining Services team will then need time to move operations before the space can open for meals. The layout of the FFC was designed to mirror that of the new Dining Hall to help make this transition as smooth as possible.
The new Dining Hall will offer new, upgraded equipment for the Dining Services team, improved flow, additional stations for stir fry and other amenities, and expanded seating.
