The winds of change are in store for the Union again. The renovations to the Union in 1998 created big changes for the way students used the Union. Costing $9.3 million in funding gathered by the student body, the renovations to the top two floors created an excellent environment for students to study, meet, and hang out with friends.
Unlike renovations in the past, the changes in store for the basement’s Rathskellar will be funded by Hospitality Services at Rensselaer. President of the Union Peter Baldwin ’06 hopes that the changes to the Rathskellar will increase usage of the first floor, just as the renovations in the past created widespread popularity for the top two floors.
The renovations to the Rathskellar are not finalized yet, but will probably include new floor tiles, exits on either sides of the food booths, booths, signage and lights, counter seating with possible cyber stations, circular booths, store front entrance, and counter faces and tops. While budgeting has not been completed, the renovations may take place as early as this winter break. Even if they occur later, Baldwin said this is Hospitality Services’ top renovation priority. The games room, however, is to be left untouched—a prospect that has brought mixed feelings from students in the past.
The proposal from Hospitality Services last year consisted of making many changes to the Rathskellar and the McNeil Room. These included making “retail restaurants” providing a sub shop, a grill, Mexican food, and “paninis.” It was also proposed that the wall separating the games room and the Rathskellar be removed to allow for more seating, as well as the removal of the bowling lanes but this idea was met with a great deal of objections. In addition, Hospitality Services wanted to turn the McNeil into a “15th Street Marketplace” that would have provided sushi and pre-made sandwiches.
Ben Fuller ’07, a mathematics and computer science major, offered his view on the possibility of removing the bowling lanes: “The games room should be open to as many students as possible; the current space allocation does not provide this.”
Baldwin also expressed hope that the changes to the Rathskellar will “bring students together” and create a new image for the Union as a one stop place for students to meet, discuss, study, eat, and enjoy recreation. With that in mind, he commented that he wanted to see the Union “become a destination” for the student body.
Changes are being considered for the McNeil room, too, but these would take place at a later date. These plans are still in very early stages. The changes to the Rathskellar will be reviewed by student government soon. Renderings of the changes were not available for publication at press time and Hospitality Services would not comment on any of the proposed changes.
