The completion of the new Davies Center will bring many changes to UW- Eau Claire, including new food options and social lounges.

Director of University Centers Charles Farrell said the new food court will be significantly larger than the current market place in Davies.

“It’s going to seem much more wide open,” Farrell said.

The new center will have a variety of options such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Erbert and Gerbert’s, a Mongolian grill and a Tuscan rotisserie, he said. The prices will be comparable to typical restaurant prices.

Many of the current Davies’s options will move to the new building and expand. Intermezzo’s, the on-campus coffee cart and the Green Bean, an organic food store, will be in the new center along with the Delany.

The food court will have designated areas for an all-day breakfast bar, along with a salad bar.

Farrell said that they are introducing a new idea called “Simply To-Go,” which will be in place of the current cafeteria Farrell said.

“You will get a to-go container and you would be able to choose from the entrees that are in the cafeterias,” she said.

Junior David Heiling said eliminating the cafeteria on lower campus will be a huge adjustment.

“Only one cafeteria on all of campus for all those people on Hilltop?” he said. “I think that’s foolish, I mean, look at this place, it’s huge.”

Freshman Kati Katzung said that she hopes the university will improve the meal plan options because the “All Access” plan will potentially not be usable on
lower campus.

“I think that more declining options would better since there is more of that kind of food in the new Davies,” Katzung said.

Farrell insisted there will be plenty of options for all students in the new center. The meal plan options have not been finalized but he is certain that the “All Access,” “50/50,” and “Declining” options will still be available, along with a variety of others.

Farrell also said that a lot of consideration was put in when deciding to get rid of the Davies cafeteria. A cafeteria on lower campus was estimated to cost $5 million.

“For 5 million bucks, people can walk the hill,” Farrell said.

With the cost of the new center, some things weren’t included and decisions had to be made about what is most important.

“We were going to have to give up some stuff if we needed to have a cafeteria in this building,” Farrell said, “and what students said is, look what we need to do in this new space is to provide things the campus doesn’t already have not to replicate something that’s already on campus but people are just too lazy to walk to.”

Katzung is looking forward to the changes.

“I’m excited for the new Davies,” she said. “It will be nice to have some other options.”

Farrell said they worked hard to accommodate as many students as they could.

“Like everything in life it’s a compromise,” he said, “and this will be a huge improvement in student life.”

By Ginna Roe