Construction moves forward on One World Café

Construction has resumed on One World Café on the North Campus.

Work was stopped in April, together with large and small construction projects on all three UB campuses and statewide, in response to stop work orders issued by Empire State Development and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo mandating that all non-emergency construction projects be paused to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

The third phase of UB’s Heart of the Campus initiative, One World Café is being built around and under the existing overhangs of Capen and Norton halls one of the busiest segments of the UB campus.

“One World Café remains a signature project for UB,” says Carrie Woodrow, director of policy, compliance and internal controls, who is also chair of the One World Café steering committee.

“It will meet the need for expanded dining facilities among UB’s campus population, while also serving as a center for students, faculty and staff to meet and socialize in a multicultural environment,” Woodrow says.

“One World Café will be unique among the university’s dining facilities, offering the UB community and visitors to the campus authentic international food choices in an exciting new dining and meeting place.”

With a location at one of the major crossroads on the North Campus, One World Café has the potential to become a gateway to the campus, symbolizing UB’s identity as a premiere international university.

While engaging the broader goals of Heart of the Campus — improving living and learning spaces at UB — One World Café is a major construction project in one of the most heavily trafficked areas on campus, and will continue to be disruptive to the university community.

“Members of the steering committee and our construction manager, Turner Construction, will be doing everything we can to communicate what will be happening, when and where to those who will be directly affected,” Woodrow says.

Existing fencing and barriers on the construction site on the north and south sides of Capen and Norton halls will remain, along with informational and directional signs posted inside and outside of both halls and across the site.

“We will be doing everything we can to communicate what will be happening, when and where, and assist members of our UB community in their travels across campus,” says Tonga Pham, associate vice president for university facilities.

“University Facilities is working diligently to minimize confusion for everyone throughout the construction process, now and in the future,” she says.

“Actions we have taken include wayfinding signage at building entrances, elevators, stairwells and hallways across the construction site to redirect traffic to the most efficient routes. In addition, elevators in Capen Hall have been renamed to simplify getting to Silverman Library and administrative offices.”

Pham says major demolitions began on site May 18 and will continue through mid-to-late July.

“These involve taking down interior and exterior staircases in both Capen and Norton halls. They are noisy, dusty and very disruptive procedures, so they are the first steps now that construction has resumed,” she says.

Pham says new signs and directional postings will be added to doorways and hallways throughout the site as One World Café construction moves forward.

The project is now targeted for completion by late spring 2022.

Periodic construction updates are posted on the One World Café construction website.

For questions or concerns, contact University Facilities Customer Service:

Customer Service Office

120 John Beane Center

Mon-Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Phone: 716-645-2025

Email: custserv@facilities.buffalo.edu

After-hours service

Phone: 716-645-2025

Emergencies

UB Police: 716-645-2222