Jane Huh
Daily Egyptian
University housing officials took students' advice on how to renovate old dining facilities and add dining and recreation services this fall.
By early October, Lentz dining hall will offer the new Last Resort, complete with a big-screen TV, new furniture and carpeting, pool tables and fooseball machines, said Elizabeth Scally, marketing and conference services coordinator.
Thompson Point Executive Council members relayed their input into the new design of the outdated facilities.
The addition of Café Latte will be where the old Lake Side Deli was located. Students can purchase coffee and other refreshments with cash, check or their Debit Dawg card.
Residents will have access to Lentz's workout room and laundry facilities as soon as the semester begins despite the ongoing construction work.
Sandy Sherman, sophomore from Des Plains, will be living at Smith Hall this fall. She said the Last Resort and the mini-coffeehouse is a welcome change for residents.
"I think it'll be really nice and it'll probably have something for everyone," Sherman said. "It would be a nice place to have an entertainment break."
Sherman said that last semester, the Last Resort was often empty and served no real function.
"It was pretty vacant. Sometimes there were some people just laying around the couches, but they were people who worked in maintenance," she said. "Now we can do laundry and play a little foosball while we wait or a game of pool."
During the summer, several dorms received special improvements. Fire alarms at Thompson Point are upgraded, Mae Smith dorms have new window screens and furniture and Wright in University Hall has new carpeting. Serving areas at Grinnell and Trueblood dining halls also received makeovers.
All residence dorms are routinely inspected during the summer break, Scally said.
Scally credits the makeover at Lentz to the students who offered their suggestions.
"I think they'll be very positive to it," Scally said. "They dictated our agenda and we'll do that again next year."
Reporter Jane Huh can be reached at jhuh@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
