Landon Hall, one of the residence halls that gives the West Circle Drive area its historic reputation, recently underwent a 14-month renovation.
Director of Culinary Services Guy Procopio said one of the major goals in the renovation was to improve the functionality of the hall while staying true to its history.
“We wanted to make it more vibrant,” Procopio said. “One of the major goals was to maintain its character, i.e. Heritage Commons (the name of Landon’s dining area).”
Procopio made special note of the second and third levels of the dining area.
“If you haven’t seen those when you visit, you need to go back,” he said.
Heritage Commons extends through three easily-accessible levels, Procopio said. The main floor offers a wide variety of menu selections. The second level showcases a classic library setting paying tribute to Linda Landon as the university’s first female librarian. It also features the Ivy Room, a private dining room. The third level offers guests an intimate dining setting, furnished with traditional tables and chairs.
Kat Cooper, communications manager for Residential and Hospitality Services, also mentioned the importance of maintaining the building’s history throughout the renovations.
“While we did a major renovation of the space, the ceiling is very similar,” Cooper said. “It still has that wonderful collegiate feeling while bringing the service level ... to a modern level.”
When asked about the improvements made to the common areas, Cooper highlighted the music practice rooms.
“Because so many music students live in West Circle, that was a major area we wanted to improve,” she said. “It is also a wonderful stress reliever, so it was important to us to not make it just another space.”
Comparative cultures and politics sophomore Hannah Trezise, who lives in Landon Hall, said she especially appreciates the upgraded living areas for students.
“I lived in Yakeley Hall last year and the community bathrooms were a little bit iffy,” Trezise said. “You didn’t have any privacy, I guess you could say — in Landon they are a lot better.”
Although she noted she was slightly disappointed how the layout of the building cuts off her direct access to the main part of the building, overall, she was very happy with the modern upgrades her hall received.
Procopio and Cooper said this renovation is the sixth of seven major renovations since the release of the 2009 Residential and Hospitality Services Dining Master Plan. The plan includes Brody Square, Riverwalk Market at Owen Hall, Holden Dining Hall, South Pointe at Case Hall, and the Vista at Shaw. The final project is Akers Dining Hall, which is currently under construction. It will reopen in January 2015.
