The café that will be part of the newly renovated Nelson Dining Hall now has a name — the South Side Espresso Bar.
“One of the recommendations placed forth by (a student-led Culinary Services committee) was the need to have a campus café on the south side of campus in order to provide students with a friendly atmosphere for getting together, studying and maximizing the campus experience,” said Carlos Samano, assistant director of auxiliary sales, in an email.
“From there, they truly championed the concept.”
Nelson Dining Hall is undergoing work that will convert the “old side,” now consisting of banquet space, into new dining, market and café space. The South Side Espresso Bar will seat up to 50 people, said Brian Thompson, director of auxiliaries.
“The new campus café will be similar to what we’ve done at Alden Library,” Thompson said in January. “We’re doing a coffee environment on that end of campus where previously we did not have that type of venue near the South Green.”
The current dining area will be converted to banquet and event space. The dining hall will be closed Spring Quarter, but the Grab N Go and market will remain open.
Shively Court will extend its hours and open for breakfast beginning on finals week of this quarter. The renovated Nelson dining space is expected to open for Fall Semester.
Ohio University’s Culinary Services department hosted a meet and greet Feb. 20 in the lobby area of Nelson so students could stop by and voice questions and concerns about the project.
“Feedback received at the Nelson meet and greet was extremely positive,” Thompson said in a statement. “The most frequent comment we received related to the overall excitement of having this renovated venue on campus.”
The student-led Culinary Services Development Committee also participated in the event and about 180 students attended some portion of the forum.
“I think it’s very important to go to the students,” said Evan Ecos, Residence Life commissioner for OU Student Senate and member of the student development committee, in a statement. “Many times, students really like it when the university is proactive and comes to the student. I think it makes people feel valued and appreciated.”
The renovated dining hall will feature different food “concepts,” including breakfast all day, Asian fusion, Mediterranean and barbeque. There will also be a salad bar, and the barbeque station will offer traditional fare such as hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes.
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