The Class of 2019 will have to ask each other two questions about where to sit at Marketplace: right or left and top or bottom.
Starting this Summer, East Union—which includes Marketplace and Trinity Cafe—will undergo renovations to modernize in two phases. The construction aims to finish renovating the Marketplace servery by the start of Fall 2015 and will move Trinity Cafe downstairs during Summer 2016. This project marks the first renovations for the building since 1995.
“It will allow us to serve students better,” said Rick Johnson, assistant vice president of student affairs for housing, dining and residential life. “The renovations represent Duke Dining’s desire to present a great dining program by staying up-to-date with the menu and ambience.”
The Durham Market—currently stationed in the center island—will be moved into the private room seating on the left side, which closed after Spring Break. In its place, there will be a revamped salad bar complete with a carving station to top salads with fresh meat and herbs.
Skylights will be opened to create more natural light and a livelier atmosphere, said Director of Dining Services Robert Coffey.
A new level of seating will be added above the Durham Market on the left side. Seating options on both sides will be improved by adding new furniture and more community seating.
Additional menu items will become available as a result of increased space for new equipment, Johnson said. A wood fired pizza oven will be installed so that calzones and stromboli can be offered. The Pacific Rim station will also expand its offerings to include dumplings and Asian buns.
“It’s a bummer that all of these amazing changes are going to happen after my freshman year,” freshman Youyou Li said. “At least I have some friends coming to Duke next year that will be able to swipe me in.”
Overall, the renovations will make the food served at Marketplace fresher.
“We will be able to do more restaurant-style preparation in front of students,” Coffey said.
Vegan and vegetarian options will also be expanded and be cooked on separate equipment, he added.
As the major dining venue on East Campus, Marketplace will remain open and operational during the summer to feed students staying on campus for summer programs. The project will be working on a tight schedule in order to complete the expansion of the servery by August, but Coffey is confident that the work can be completed in time.
“We have the same contract firm that we used last year when we renovated Cafe Edens,” Coffey said. “Believe it or not, we did that renovation in three weeks.”
All of the renovations on the East Union are scheduled to be completed for Fall 2016. Currently, furniture for the dining and lounge areas is being selected, so the budget has not been finalized. Coffey estimated that the renovations would total between $7 and 8 million.
Coffey noted the new East Union will create similar programming space that will be present in the new West Union.
Classrooms with similar designs as the study spaces in The Edge will be built, in part, for students participating in the FOCUS program. These areas will be constructed both downstairs in the mailroom and upstairs.
“Students won’t have to travel around campus for their FOCUS meetings,” Coffey said. “They can just take what they want from the menu and head right to their FOCUS session.”
A stage will be built underneath the servery area that will be able to host student performances. The Trinity Cafe will be moved downstairs and be transformed into a coffee bar and lounge, much like Von der Heyden Pavilion.
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