Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

James Madison University: D-Hall Dining Facilities

  • 11/01/19

The new D-Hall dining facility on the campus of James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA, officially opened fall semester of 2018. Designed by Moseley Architects in association with Tipton Associates, the contemporary, three-story, 101,000-square-foot building replaces the removed Gibbons Hall which originally sat in its place. Skanska was the contractor for the project.

James Madison University D-Hall Dining Facilities 

Photos courtesy Skanska USA

The name of the new dining hall pays homage to the former which was known on campus as D-Hall, built in the mid-1960s. This new dining hall reflects James Madison’s high level of commitment to providing its students with exceptional campus food and facilities. Offering additional seating and entrances directly from the campus commons, the dining facility serves as the centerpiece of one of the most highly regarded college food service programs in the country. James Madison was listed 10th in the nation in the 2018 Best College Food in America rankings by Niche.com.

James Madison University D-Hall Dining Facilities 

Photos courtesy Skanska USA

With a total occupancy load of just over 3,000, the facility includes a kitchen, scullery, serving area, indoor and outdoor seating facilities, associated offices and administrative areas, loading dock and storage facilities, public restrooms, staff locker and shower facilities, and custodial and utility spaces. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification.

James Madison University D-Hall Dining Facilities 

Photos courtesy Skanska USA

The first floor houses national restaurant brands such as Chickfil-A®, previously available on campus, and new-to-JMU options including Qdoba, Steak ’n Shake, and Freshens Food Studio. Steak ’n Shake even has a walk-up window for extended hours.

James Madison University D-Hall Dining Facilities 

Photos courtesy Skanska USA

The second floor, with a central back-of-house support core area for the foodservice platforms, features an all-you-can-eat buffet in a larger, more open environment with expanded menu options. It has balconies with outdoor seating. The third floor features banquet space.

James Madison University D-Hall Dining Facilities 

Photos courtesy Skanska USA

Additionally, outdoor dining at the main and lower levels is provided to serve both residential and retail dining areas.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Purdue Fort Wayne Opens New Student Housing Complex

    Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) in Fort Wayne, Ind., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, 600-bed student housing complex on campus, according to a news release.