NSU to remodel Market Cafe dining venue

To enhance meal service to students, faculty, staff and guests, Northeastern State University has begun renovations of its Market Cafe dining venue in the University Center.

A portion of the Market Cafe will be walled off to accommodate construction, which began May 14. Lewis Avenue is closed at the University Center until August 1.

"The functionality of the Market Cafe will not be affected," said Todd Enlow, director of capital projects and planning. "We estimate the loss of only 30 seats during the renovation and all regular summer serving stations will be open."

The remodeling includes:

• Replacing the central beverage station with two stations on the east and west walls to reduce congestion in the middle of the dining area.
• The addition of the two kitchen venues: Tuscan Grill and American Bistro Grill.
• Location of the new grills on the north end of the building on the east and west walls.
• Addition of 92 seats by enclosing the existing north patio and another 104 seats by constructing a new exterior patio.

The Market Cafe currently offers six kitchen venues, a salad bar, an ice cream station, a cereal stand, a desert counter, a fruit stand and the beverage station.

In addition to students enrolled during the summer term, the Market Cafe will serve children attending NSU's Second Century learning camps in late June through July. The construction will continue into the fall 2012 semester, with completion expected in late October or early November.

"We do not anticipate any issues serving customers during any part of the construction," Enlow said. "If any conflicts arrive between the renovations and service, they will be limited and scheduled around the cafe's hours of operation and campus activities."

Enlow said patrons will hear some noise during the construction, but it will be tolerable and not affect normal conversation.

"A primary purpose of the temporary construction wall is to absorb sound," he said. "It will reduce the noise of the renovations and prevent disturbance of the venue's diners."

When students are on campus in the spring and fall semesters, they may choose from the cafe venues, four venues in The Underground and The Roost student lounge in the UC basement, the Seminary Suites Grill, Flo's Coffee Shop on the third floor of the UC, and a Pizza Hut Express and Essentials convenience store in the Leoser complex. Food service at NSU is provided by Sodexo.

"This construction will not affect the quality of service the NSU campus community has enjoyed with Sodexo," Enlow said. "They will have access to all the usual dining options during the summer and fall terms until the project is complete."

During the summer term, fewer kitchen venues are open in the Market Cafe due to fewer customers. Hours for the Market Cafe during the summer intersession and summer term are 7-9 a.m. and 11 a.m. 1 p.m. Monday-Friday. The Seminary Suites Grill is open 5-7 p.m. every day and 11 a.m. 1 p.m. on weekends. The coffee shop in The Roost is open 6:30 a.m. noon Monday-Thursday.

Cost of the Market Cafe project is $1.5 million, funded by revenues from university auxiliary capital funds and donations.