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Landon Hall renovations include three new dining levels

July 23, 2013
	<p>Perry, Mich., resident Ken Roy removes bricks from a wall on July 23, 2013, at Landon Hall. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2014. Weston Brooks/The State News</p>

Perry, Mich., resident Ken Roy removes bricks from a wall on July 23, 2013, at Landon Hall. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2014. Weston Brooks/The State News

Landon Hall just went under the renovation knife as it begins its complete internal makeover, slated to finish in August 2014.

The residence hall, built in 1947, will have various new features added to the resident rooms in addition to a dramatic transformation within the dining hall.

Ray Gasser, senior associate director for Residence Education and Housing Services, said the resident rooms will largely see cosmetic changes such as new paint and furniture in addition to more energy efficient lighting.

Prior to the current renovation, showers were in completely separate rooms than toilets and sinks. Gasser said the makeover will involve condensing the two amenities into community bathrooms.

“(The) bathrooms are a big win for the students of Landon (Hall),” Gasser said.

Landon Hall will also feature new lounge areas, new seating areas on each floor as well as an elevator that students can use to reach any floor. He added there will also be music rooms with sound-proofing added to the building.

“We’re certainly trying to address the needs of students who have typically lived in Landon (Hall),” Gasser said.

He added a sprinkler system will be installed within the building in addition to more accessibility features, resulting in an increase of safety within the building.

The most drastic change will be the dining hall, Gasser said.

Matt McKune, assistant director of residential dining for Residential and Hospitality Services, said the dining hall will feature three dining levels, as opposed to the traditional one main floor. This will lead to the seating capacity of the cafeteria to double from 190 seats to 380.

He said the separation of the levels will lead to the creation of different atmospheres within the cafeteria that can range from more quiet and intimate to louder environments.

Gasser said the dining hall will also display historical ties to Landon Hall’s namesake, an MSU librarian.

“One of the concepts (is that) there will be a space (for) bookshelves and books,” Gasser said. “(It will) have the feel of a library within the dining facility. (We’re) trying to tie the history and the namesake of the building to the renovation itself.”

McKune added there will be four food venues. One has been determined to be the traditional salad/breakfast bar, while the other three venues and menus still are under consideration.

“We’re going to give (students) three new different types of venues with menu items that are different yet similar (to what they’re used to),” McKune said.

Since Landon Hall is closed for renovation through the upcoming academic year, McKune said some work is also being done within Yakeley Hall to offer meals to students in North Neighborhood. He said the Eat at State ON-THE-GO food truck will also be out in the neighborhood Monday through Friday to provide more options. The MSU Union will open up all venues from 8 p.m. to midnight to all MSU students with a meal plan. Swiping a meal card during this time won’t take away a Combo-X-Change for the day. Rather, the service is considered to be an “all-you-care-to-eat” time, McKune said.

Linguistics senior Nicole Markovic, who lived in Landon Hall and worked in the dining hall during her sophomore year, was mainly concerned the renovation would strip away the historical charm that has been retained by the residence halls in West Circle.

“The thing about West Circle is that it has that Harry Potter charm, like old-fashioned buildings,” Markovic said. “I don’t know if it will make it lose its charms. Hopefully the food is better.”

Gasser and McKune both emphasized the goal of the renovation is to maintain that historical aspect while updating the interior of the building.

“The halls of West Circle have the history of the institution,” Gasser said. “And it’s something that we really want to embrace — the history of those buildings.”

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