Students who noticed the construction by Carmichael Hall and hoped for a new dining area will find that the new annex is intended mostly for faculty, not students.
The construction will yield a new location for the Wren Faculty Dining Room, currently in Mugar Hall at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, as well as a function room that will accommodate up to 80 people banquet-style and up to 125 persons for receptions, according to Director of Dining Services Patti Lee Klos.
Once completed, the function room will be available for use by the wider Tufts community. "The room is available in the evenings, weekends and in the summer for meetings, seminars and special events," Klos said.
The function room is the structure actually under construction on the south side of Carmichael, adjacent to the dining hall. The new faculty and staff dining room is inside the existing structure.
"The faculty and staff dining program is a luncheon service for Tufts faculty, staff and administrators," Klos said. "The room is typically used for lunch-time meetings with colleagues, interview candidates and visitors."
The dining room takes the place of the Carmichael Bakery, which has been relocated to the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall downhill, according to Vice President of University Operations John Roberto.
"In essence, it's replacing existing space, but as a new use," Roberto said. "It's actually the same 'footprint' as the old bakery."
Total project cost is $1.3 million, all from University funds, Roberto said.
According to Klos, "substantial" completion is expected by today. "We plan to 'open' the room on Tuesday, Oct. 12," she said. A posting on the Dining Services Web site also indicates that the Wren Dining Room, which is operated by Tufts Catering, will relocate from Mugar Hall in "early October."
The space left behind in Mugar Hall will be converted to office or classroom space for the Fletcher School.
The Dining Services Web site also says that while the new dining room is intended for faculty and staff, "all members of the Tufts community are invited to dine."
The construction is not a part of the University's highly-publicized Master Plan to redesign the campus, Roberto said. The planning and construction for this area were already underway before the Master Plan was created by the University in conjunction with architectural firm William Rawn Associates.
The design includes several elements. "There is a lobby area, coat room, rest rooms, water fountains, a campus phone, and the main room," Klos said. "There is also a pantry area for use by [Tufts] Catering."
The all you-can-eat buffet at the faculty dining room costs $7.95 per person, with beverages and dessert not included. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. "Cash, points, and interdepartmental requisition with proper business justification are accepted," Klos said.
