Sept. 11, 2009

Declaring that "it was worth the wait," President Dianne Harrison on Thursday officially dedicated the renovated Dining Commons.

Dr. Harrison was joined by staff members of CSU Monterey Bay, the University Corporation and the contractor in cutting the ceremonial ribbon that marked the end of a long wait for an upgraded dining facility.

The project had to meet four requirements, according to Dr. Harrison:

• It had to look great • It had to be environmentally friendly • It had to create a welcoming, comfortable space where students would want to gather • And it had to be completed on a tight schedule - 112 days between spring break and the start of the school year

Judging by the reaction of students who have used the facility since it opened on Aug. 21, the project is a success on all counts.

The renovation of the 11,000-square-foot former Army mess hall was done by SBI Builders and designed by the Kansas architectural firm of McCluggage, Van Sickle and Perry, with assistance from The Paul Davis Partnership, a local firm. A new entranceway was installed, the roof was replaced, structural steel framing was added, the kitchen was replaced, serpentine quarry tile was added throughout the serving areas, a conveyor dishwashing system was installed along with new heating and ventilation systems, and custom booth and banquette seating were added to create the look and feel of a restaurant.

The total cost of the project was $3.45 million.

The renovated facility uses less water. Added to the recycled materials that were used, the indoor environmental quality and other features, the project qualifies for LEED silver certification.

The contractor had help from someone with campus knowledge.

Tyler Trietman, a 2008 graduate of CSUMB, works as a project engineer for SBI Builders. "Tyler was on site during the course of the renovation. He was instrumental in gathering the information we needed," said John Meyers, senior superintendent for SBI.

Meyers added that he was pleased to see the positive reaction from returning students. "That makes it worthwhile for us. That tells me we did a good job."