HAIRNETS TO CHEF HATS:
Marletto's brings fresh look, fresh food to campus
By: Jill Moon
Issue date: 9/2/04 Section: News
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The complete renovation of the former cafeteria, costing upwards from $900,000, began demolition in May 2004, two days after graduation. The marketplace had to be open and ready to serve food by the first day of fall classes. All of those involved got the job done by practically working around the clock to meet the deadline.
"It started out fairly smooth and half way it got more hectic and the last two to three weeks, I spent 10 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week to make sure it was done," said Dennis Allen, the construction superintendent. "The university would have had to cater in meals if it wasn't done."
By federal law, student residents must have access to meals provided by the university. The general manager of campus dining, Joe Harvey, said there was no option whether or not to be open as planned.
A plan to renovate the cafeteria began to develop three years ago as a result of the Food Service Planning Committee, made up of students, faculty and food service employees. In 2001, the group received approval to form a committee. The committee included Harvey, Ted Hoef, the dean of students, and Reba Snavely, the associate vice president of administrative services. In spring 2003, Dave Garafola, vice president of finance and administration, told the committee to put together a plan to renovate the cafeteria.
"We began with the idea of an expansion of this building (the University Center) with a dining hall attached," Hoef said. "We had not planned to renovate that extensively."
The plan to renovate grew as the committee investigated other campuses and discovered new trends in campus dining.
"We went to Washington University and SIU-Edwardsville. Some went to Rockhurst in Kansas City and we took suggestions from non-university restaurants to check out," Hoef said.
