Major changes in the works for college Avenue, several buildings to be demolished and a state of the art large student center to be built
- Thread starter Tango Two
- Start date
On both admitted students day and Rutgers day, I heard many parents with their children very concerned about not having a dining hall on College Ave. For one family it most likely meant going to another school.
It's really odd that they didn't find the money to build a new dining hall years ago.
Why would you close browser if you don’t have a replacement planned and ready to start construction?
They updated the Rutgers Student Center and added the atrium.
The food concepts in the Atrium will join Café West as dining locations on the College Avenue Campus.
The five concepts include:
- Pi Pizza
- Mezze (Mediterranean)
- Scarlet Ginger (Asian)
- Three Chilies (Southwestern Tex/MexMex
- King’s Hawaiian burger/sandwich concept
Most dining halls are moving toward individual offerings rather than buffet style. My son is on cook and eats at the Douglass Student Center most of the time.
The food concepts in the Atrium will join Café West as dining locations on the College Avenue Campus.
The five concepts include:
- Pi Pizza
- Mezze (Mediterranean)
- Scarlet Ginger (Asian)
- Three Chilies (Southwestern Tex/MexMex
- King’s Hawaiian burger/sandwich concept
Most dining halls are moving toward individual offerings rather than buffet style. My son is on cook and eats at the Douglass Student Center most of the time.
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I can only speak anecdotally, but my son(FR on College Ave) and his friends hate the Atrium and they often trekked to other campuses(mostly Busch) to get dinner at the dining halls there.
I think RU is missing the boat here.
I've heard and read a bunch of complaints that students want a real dining hall with normal sit down, not some nonsense grab and go.
Yep, Corey's friends down at RU NB have said the same thing to him. It's nice to have an alternative place to go (he had Jersey Mike's up in RU Newark), but the dining hall is a central place to meet up.
I was only trying to supply information.
I have heard that after freshman/sophmore year dining halls are overrated and a waste of time. They would rather grab and go and hang out.
Rowan moved to a pre order via the app and pick up or eat in. That seems to be the new trend.
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I agree that upperclassmen need the dining hall much less. Many live off campus or in apartments and already have a large group of friends.
But 50% of students are underclassmen and the lack of a dining hall is a real problem for them.
And the dining hall can be a center of social life, especially for the freshmen.
The closing of Brower is part of the Rutgers 2030 master plan. Brower will be demoed to make way for a greenway that will start at the College Ave Gym and go all the way down to the river. The reason it hasn't been demoed yet is because it shares utilities with another building that is staying and that building needs to be made energy independent of Brower before it can be demoed.
Timeline I am hearing for the demo is two years.
Thanks for the info. That 2030 plan for the new College Ave quad has been delayed a lot. Surprised that it takes 2 years to make the other building energy independent of Brower. What building is it, Stonier, as I thought that was going too, or is it the College Ave gym across the street? The new quad will be awesome and can't get here soon enough. Thanks.
The 2030 plan is probably going to be renamed the 2040 plan. The 2030 plan was greatly delayed by COVID which accounts for all the delays. I believe the other building is Stonier and I am not sure if that building is staying or not.
The new quad will be a signature feature of the College Ave Campus. With the head of it being the historic college avenue gym it should be a very scenic.
I had always heard something similar regarding the utilities. I can't confirm but the smoke stack behind Brower provides the heat for the River dorms??? Regardless, why close Brower without a viable buffet style alternative in place? I assumed the new dining hall would go where Records Hall was, then tear down Brower and Stonier. The final result looks to be fantastic, hopefully in my lifetime
Steve,
I've been told there are no plans for a dining hall, but that could be just what the plans are now and everything is subject to change. I keep hearing that kids prefer grab and go and that is cheaper then a dining hall.
You could be right about the river dorms. This info comes from a conversation I had months ago here at Rutgers. Like I mentioned before, when I asked about the timeline on the new quad I was told 2-3 years. Closing brower seems to be the first part of that.
The 2030 rendering does show the location of a new dining hall in the empty space that Records Hall previously occupied. Below is taken directly from the master plan text. It clearly states a new dining hall being built before demo of Brower.
Brower Commons dining hall will be replaced, although Calcado said that it feeds too many people to be torn down immediately. Instead, Rutgers would build a new dining hall first, then demolish Brower.
The new lawn would cover the Brower Commons site, the Kreeger Learning Center site, much of where the College Avenue Parking Deck is today, and part of Records Hall.
It would be bordered by a continuation of the brick wall currently fringing the old Quad.
I've got 15 student employees, 100 student tenants and lots and lots of parents come in. I've never heard s single person say they prefer the Atrium, while many regret the closing of Brower ( never thought you'd hear that ). Some families even considering other schools due to no dining hall on College Ave. There are already grab and go options, like Cafe West in addition to the private eateries, like Panera, Yard options and of course, Easton Ave.
Brower Commons dining hall will be replaced, although Calcado said that it feeds too many people to be torn down immediately. Instead, Rutgers would build a new dining hall first, then demolish Brower.
The new lawn would cover the Brower Commons site, the Kreeger Learning Center site, much of where the College Avenue Parking Deck is today, and part of Records Hall.
It would be bordered by a continuation of the brick wall currently fringing the old Quad.
I've got 15 student employees, 100 student tenants and lots and lots of parents come in. I've never heard s single person say they prefer the Atrium, while many regret the closing of Brower ( never thought you'd hear that ). Some families even considering other schools due to no dining hall on College Ave. There are already grab and go options, like Cafe West in addition to the private eateries, like Panera, Yard options and of course, Easton Ave.
That would be phenomenally stupid if they didn't replace Brower. Older students may prefer grab and go, but for younger students the dining hall is part of their social life and immersion into the college experience. I know that even though it's Rutgers Newark, that was an essential experience for my younger son Corey this past year.
I hope this is bad info, as every campus needs a real sit down dining hall. Like Steve, I similarly read/heard a ton of complaints about Brower closing and no good replacement on the horizon.
My son is going next year. While he wants college Ave , I’m hoping for Livingston because of the dining hall and gym. Of all the many schools we’ve seen the CAC gym was the worst.
The college Ave facilities are pretty rough. But the Easton Ave gym is top notch for lifting / cardio equipment.
Anyone know if college ave gym has ever been discussed for a renovation or refresh ?
Agreed. Have to imagine the renovation costs are exorbitant for a building that old, but it should be gutted and modernized to be a top facility for rec and volleyball. Maybe could even have some WBB games there.
A new premier fitness center should be part of any College Ave master plan. Gym space-dance/aerobic space-weight room are the basics. CAG could still be used for gym space and pool-other functions
I recently talked to a bunch of RU students finishing their sophomore year on College Ave. I asked about the dining hall. They all agreed that no one liked going to the dining hall and they really like the atrium. I get it, it’s anecdotal, but maybe kids are ok without one. That said, if it was a brand new facility I think they may have had a different opinion.
Agree. If they had a really great , convenient dining hall they would appreciate it and it would greatly enhance their campus experience. For now, they don’t have anything so they don’t even know what their missing and what was there before was more of a joke than a viable option.
Not everyone is going to use it regularly but there’s so few moments in college that build lifetime connections and the dining hall is one of those premier places of those moments.
Has Rutgers thought about modernizing/upgrading many of the older dorms, such as those surrounding Bishop beach, Livi quads, etc.? I'm guessing there's no $ and interest, but they're really outdated and students want more nice and modern dorms. That would improve interest and student life.
We just did extensive touring with my son who is heading to Rutgers. Those dorms are really bad and need to go.
Really hoping this means the end of the river dorms. They’re ugly, old and block the view of the river. So much to do on College Ave but it really could be the showcase.
The river dorm area is EXACTLY where a BIG student center/union SHOULD be built. It will be right by the proposed transportation hub on college Ave and will be directly across from the College Ave Gym in the new Quad.
It would be overlooking the Raritan river on one side and the new quad on the other. Should be built with Federalist architecture in mind.
Honestly a big, beautiful signature student center is what Rutgers is missing. It's a perfect spot.
I doubt that transportation hub ever gets built and it looks like a waste of space anyway. Better use of that space is for a dorm or academic building. The proposed location of the student center and dining hall are fine. Ditch the Cultural Center and also make that a dorm or academic building or world class fitness center.
I doubt that transportation hub ever gets built and it looks like a waste of space anyway. Better use of that space is for a dorm or academic building. The proposed location of the student center and dining hall are fine. Ditch the Cultural Center and also make that a dorm or academic building or world class fitness center.
Transit hub would be fine if combined with @sct1111 idea above it would be an absolute grand slam.
Street level - transit hub, retail
2nd - 4th floor classrooms or dorms
5th floor with large outdoor patio/balcony - student union and rec area overlooking the Raritan
Rooftop - garden / park area
A gym overlooking the river would be incredible.I doubt that transportation hub ever gets built and it looks like a waste of space anyway. Better use of that space is for a dorm or academic building. The proposed location of the student center and dining hall are fine. Ditch the Cultural Center and also make that a dorm or academic building or world class fitness center.
