Clad in an NUCuisine jacket and chef’s hat, President Schapiro was on hand Tuesday night to unveil Northwestern’s new student hangout, a refurbished historic dining hall called the “Great Room.”
Located at 610 Haven Street, the Great Room, which previously served as a reading room in the Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, will offer food, TV and wireless access to Northwestern students. The room will be open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.
At the ceremonial ribbon cutting Tuesday evening, President Schapiro described the room as aesthetically magnificent, and lauded the team that restored the room for a job well done.
“I’m particularly excited at the chance for [the opportunities] to off-campus students,” Schapiro said. “The Great Room is an alternative to Burger King – not that there’s anything wrong with Burger King, but this is a beautiful venue.”
In addition to its proximity to campus, the Great Room is open as late as or later than any other campus dining facility Sunday through Thursday. Boasting “pub grub” complete with a burger bar, espresso machine, and small C-store, the Great Room doesn’t discriminate. Two long tables down the center are ideal for big groups, while smaller round tables on the side are perfect for individual studying. Couches at the back of the room allow for an full absorption of the Hogwarts-like view.
According to project manager, Associate Director for Food Service and Configuration Planning Anne Vanosdol, the most comfortable chair in the room is located in the back-right corner. The chairs were custom made. “I wanted them to fit my legs, because it’s all about me, isn’t it?”
Vanosdol devoted her summer vacation to the restoration, starting the project in the last week of July. She insists she merely shined up the room, and that it was magnificent to begin with.
Weinberg sophomore Matt Kluk called it a great use of space, saying that the reading room was “sort of a waste.”