Colleges Building for the Future

FM Staff

Florida Gulf Coast Universityplans to renovate much of its campus food services with new food vendor Aramark Campus Services,. The planned changes this fall include a new c-store and a Java City coffee shop. Next spring, the Eagle Cafe will become the Eagle Emporium, with new furniture and national branding anchored by Subway and Taco Bell. In addition, the Perch Food Court in the Student Union will be converted into one of Aramark's "Real Food on Campus" concepts. The Union will also add an Einstein Bros. Bagels Cafe while a full service Starbucks will be in the new Library Cyber Cafe.

The University of Alabama plans to add four new food outlets this fall to accommodate more than 4,000 freshman coming on campus with meal plans. They will include a number of temporary service outlets, including a themed tent set-up on the school's central Quad that will offer buffet-style meals from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Mondays and Wednesdays for the first seven weeks of the fall semester. There will also be a foodservice cart and several kiosks with grab-and-go items. The major new permanent structure is a new Sports Grill themed after Alabama Athletics that Bama Dining officials liken to an Applebee's. It will not accept meal plans.

The new $27.5 million library building at the University of Southern Indiana will include the first Starbucks coffee shop on campus, operated by the University's Food Services.

The University of Kansas is updating its The Market in the Kansas Union with new food choices. Along with the already existing Brellas Sandwich Crafters, AFC Sushi and Pizza Hut, The Market will also offer five new venues featuring fare such as Chipotle-style burritos and a pasta bar. Another new addition, The Corner Bakery, will offer bakery items from a couple of popular local bakeries. It will take the place of Freshens Smoothie Company and Pulse Coffee Bar, both of which will move to the fourth floor of the Kansas Union. Sharing the area with The Corner Bakery will be Garden Gourmet, which will provide hot panini sandwiches, soups and a salad bar. In addition to other food options, The Market is also expanding to help decrease congestion during busy hours. Along with the renovations to The Market,-KU dining services has also created an extended-hours grab-and-go outlet called The Studio. Open Monday through Friday until 1 a.m., The Studio will offer Brellas Sandwich Crafters and Hot Stuff Pizza and burritos, as well as a c-store.

Southern Methodist University is renovating its Umphrey-Lee dining facility this summer. It is expected to be completed when students return August 17th. The changes include converting serving lines into five "action" stations featuring frontofthe-customer preparation. The stations will feature breakfast all day/bakery, comfort foods/ homestyle dishes, a grill, sandwiches and pizza/pasta. In addition, there will be a produce and salad bar station.