A proposal to construct a 60,000 square-foot dining hall to serve the Hill residence hall area was unanimously approved by the University Board of Regents yesterday.
The plan proposes the construction of a single facility that will provide service to Couzens, Stockwell, Alice Lloyd and Mosher-Jordan residence halls, as well as renovations to East Quad and Mary Markley dining facilities.
"This dining center is something that has been needed, has been wanted and which will serve students for years to come," said Residence Hall Association President Randall Juip, an LSA senior.
The facility is expected to be located between Alice Lloyd and Mosher-Jordan residence halls. It should more adequately serve the dietary needs of students, alleviate labor shortage problems and open 40,000 to 50,000 square feet of space, said Director of Housing William Zeller.
"The four dining facilities (that are currently being used) are in need of renovation," Zeller said. "We have not been able to fill all of the vacant positions we have for student employees. We have had occasion where we have been serving on paper plates."
The dining facilities that will be replaced have gone from 31 to 67 years without any renovations, said Vice President for Student Affairs Maureen Hartford.
The new facility is projected to cost $15.5 million, but its efficiency will compensate for the costs over a 20-year period, Zeller said.
Revamping the current halls would cost several million dollars, without bringing similar savings, and possibly raise room and board costs, he continued.
"(The new facility) will allow us to make our payments over the next 20 years without raising room and board rates," Zeller said.
The fate of the current dining halls has not been decided, Zeller said. They could be used for anything from new residential space to public gathering areas.
This new residential space might give breathing room to housing officials who have faced a shortage of space in recent years. Last fall, several students were forced to live in lounges at Bursley Residence Hall until permanent rooms could be found.
Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) raised concerns about the connection of the residence halls to the dining facility. She said she would not be able to support the plan unless it included "an enclosed indoor connection to the dining area, so students in Couzens and Stockwell have easy access to the dining halls in their sweatpants and T-shirts."
Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) said he hopes the new dining area serves the students' needs.
"I would hope when we come forward as this project comes down the stream I hope this capital expenditure has a result where there is better dining for the students," Power said. "At the end of the day they are the customers."
Dental School sophomore Sara Dever, a Mosher-Jordan resident, said the new facility sounds good, but could cause some hassles.
"I think it sounds good because I don't like going outside," Dever said. "It could maybe get too crowded. It could cause some small problems."
Juip said many students get a first impression that the new dining hall could cause complications. But he said that once students understand the full details of the plan, they almost always support it.
"The new facility is needed," Juip said. "The current setup is prohibiting. Residents demand and residents deserve more."
East Quad resident and LSA first-year student Ben Wilkinson said he is strongly in favor of the proposed renovations of the East Quad dining area.
"I think it is probably the worst food on campus," Wilkinson said. "It tastes terrible, always."
Yesterday's vote was just the first step in the creation of the Hill Area Commons.
A projected time line for construction has not yet been developed, said Director of Housing Public Affairs Alan Levy.
"Realistically, construction won't start this year," he said.