Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Brown University Completes Dining Hall Renovations

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/08/22

Brown University in Providence, R.I., recently completed a $3-million renovation of one of its campus dining facilities, according to university news. Renovations to Verney-Woolley Dining Hall began in May and consisted largely of “back of the house” changes including increased cooler and freezer space, more storage space for dry food and a new energy-efficient dishwasher, according to Vice President of Dining Services George Barboza.

The renovations were spurred primarily by the opening of the new nearby Sternlicht Commons dorm, as well as complaints from dining hall workers about the lack of storage space.

Renovations to the front-facing part of the dining hall include a new seating area with natural light, vinyl flooring and the addition of an allergy-free pantry for students with dining restrictions.

Construction was originally budgeted for $1.8 million, and the university partnered with Shawmut Design and Construction for the project. “Soft costs” like furnishing and the new dishwasher were budgeted for about $1.2 million, said Barboza.

Construction difficulties included mold on some of the HVAC pipes and inside the cooler walls, as well as the discovery of an unmarked pipe that delayed progress. “With the age of this building and the renovations that it’s had in the past, you open up the walls and things come to light,” said Ashley Shawyer, project manager at Shawmut. “We were not expecting the amount of curveballs thrown at us, but we had a great team all across the board from the Brown staff to the Shawmut staff that came together to make it work.”

The university also partnered with Moser Pilon/Nelson Architects for the project’s design.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.