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DDS cooks up opportunity, criticism with '53 Commons

14.09.11

Following extensive renovations to the Class of 1953 Commons that began during Summer term 2010, the College hosted a dedication ceremony for the new dining facilities on Sept. 9, according to Robert Simpson, the chairman of the Class of 1953 charitable trust that donated $11 million to fund the construction project. The dedication ceremony included over 70 members of the Class of 1953 and featured speeches by College President Jim Yong Kim and Priya Krishna ’13, Simpson said.

Due to the money received from the Class of 1953, the entire renovation process was “revenue neutral,” Simpson said.

The new eatery combines the former Food Court and Homeplate into one large dining hall with modernized decor and 1,093 seats. The facilities feature numerous new dining options, including a panini and salad bar called “Big Greens,” as well as an international food station with guest chefs called “Worldview.”

The College expects the new dining facility to serve 5,000 visitors per day and to be 25 percent more energy efficient than the old dining hall, Simpson said. The building uses heat from cooking to pre-heat water from the reservoir that serves the campus, as well as “aggressive” composting measures and bulk food producing techniques that will cut the amount of trash produced in half, Simpson said.

Source: The Dartmouth