I take tremendous pride in the facilities that encompass the Union. From the Mueller Center to the McNeil Room, world-class facilities are the rule, not the exception, when it comes to the student domain of the Rensselaer Union. At the beginning of the year, the exceptions were few and far between, but one of them was the Rathskellar area located on the lower level of the Union. This week, we mark the opening of the new Rathskellar. This 5,000 square foot renovation includes a gamut of seating including booths, tables, and bar height seating. With the new eatery, the renovation also includes new food options including a sub station, a grill, and a pizzeria.
The new facility presents a stark contrast to the lower level we knew just a month ago. I remember sitting on the business operations committee researching and discussing possible layouts and designs for the Rathskellar three years ago. We visited Panera Bread in Latham and marveled at the their uncanny ability to blend seating, lighting, and just the right pieces of furniture to create individual spaces that extended the dining experience far beyond the confines of food. We envied the apparent simplicity of the design—varied seating, an unwinding atmosphere, and a homey feel that was all too absent from the Rathskellar, characterized by its sanitized mood set by flooding florescent lights, drab furniture, and somber atmosphere leaving the space vacant beyond the peak lunch hours and a few straggling patrons in the evening.
Three years later, after months of planning and a little over 20 days of construction, the Rathskellar has a new lease on life. I guess you could say that today we have our own little Panera atmosphere—complete with internet and power connections. All of the credit for the completion of the project goes to Sodexho, our campus hospitality provider. They began the process by listening to student desires for the space, rather than dictating a preconceived design. They made student concerns their concerns, understanding that the better they tailored the space to the needs of students, the better off they could serve the Rensselaer community.
Students were presented with revision upon revision of designs, with architects and consultants honing in on the student vision for the Rathskellar. The process moved along with ease due to the commitment of Sodexho and their staff including John Fusco, Paul Keck, and Rob McIntosh. The total project was planned in one semester due to the management of the job, headed by Rich Montena along with a host of consultants and specialists retained by Sodexho. What we enjoy today was made—in part—by the commitment of these individuals as well as the many others that take the same pride that we do in the Union.
