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New Ellicott Food Court is open for business
By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor
Residents of the Ellicott Complex, as well as faculty and staff working in the building, may think they've actually been transported to the "Emerald City" these days as they wander down to the center of the complex to grab some lunch.
The two-story glass atrium is the focal point of the renovated Student Club area in the Ellicott Complex.
PHOTO: Donna Longenecker
The dark, dingy Student Club area has been transformed into a bright, airy, "village square," with myriad food stations serving a variety of tempting selections. The focal point of the space is a two-story, glass atrium overlooking Lake LaSalle.
The yearlong, $5 million renovation of the Faculty Student Association's retail and food-service operation in the complex has been completed and the facility was open for business on Monday, the start of the spring semester. FSA employees and faculty and staff who work in the complex—who, according to FSA Executive Director Mitch Green, "listened to pile drivers and bulldozers for months"—were treated to lunch last Friday, and a "grand opening" ceremony was held yesterday.
The village-square concept "gives a central focus to the building," Green told the Reporter as he gave editors a tour of the operation on Friday. "A lot of things are going on around campus—the apartments, the new math building. This is going to effect 3,000 students instantly and impact on student life in Ellicott," he said, noting that the new operation will affect not only the student residents of Ellicott, but other students who attend class in the facility, as well as faculty and staff members who work there.
The project to renovate and expand the hub area of Ellicott is an attempt to "respond to what today's students are asking for," said Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs.
Green noted that the food-service operation had remained unchanged since the complex was built in 1974 and was "seriously outdated." Moreover, students' tastes have "changed significantly" since that time," he said.
Hungry patrons line up at the "Wrap it Up" booth in the Ellicott Food Court.
PHOTO: Donna Longenecker
The new Ellicott Food Court offers a variety of stations, such as "Salsa" (food with a Mexican flair), "Wrap It Up" (wraps and bagel sandwiches made to order), "Sizzles" (new grill area) and "Greens & Beans" (self-serve soup and salad bar). Hubie's, the long-time pizza-and-wings spot in the complex, has been moved from Fargo to a more central location in the food court.
The atrium, in addition to serving as a dining area, has been envisioned as a site where students can hold meetings, listen to a folk singer or hold social events, Black said.
Landscaping and a 1,600-square-foot patio overlooking Marshall Court and Lake LaSalle will be added later in the spring, Green said, adding that a Seattle-style coffeehouse will be built over the summer.
Along with the expansion and improvements to the dining operations, the complex's convenience store and the campus shuttle-bus waiting area were updated, and both are only steps away from the new food court. The project also includes ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) upgrades to the lavatories and entranceways.
The project was designed by the Rochester firm of Pospula Associates. The lead architect for the project, Penny Haley, is a UB graduate and former resident of Ellicott.
Work was financed by bonds sold through the Amherst Industrial Development Agency.