James Madison University: D-Hall Dining Facilities

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

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • California Middle School Completes Two New Academic Buildings

    Sunnyvale Middle School in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on two new classroom buildings of two stories each, according to a district news release. The new wing will house seventh- and eighth-grade students and is part of a larger campus modernization project.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

Digital Edition