Cal Poly unveils massive new dining complex. Get a look inside
After three years of construction, Cal Poly is set to open its new dining complex this week, complete with eight restaurants including Chick-Fil-A and Panda Express.
Cal Poly closed the old Campus Dining Building at the University Union in spring quarter of 2021 to renovate the space, according to a news release put out by the university.
“The new 1901 Marketplace will serve as so much more than the humble cafeteria that it so faithfully served as for so many years,” CEO of the Cal Poly Corp. Cody VanDorn said. “This renovation will create a student-focused gathering place where campus community members of all walks can visit and nourish so much more than just their appetites.”
The name of the dining complex to the 1901 Marketplace in honor of the university’s founding year.
The space will host eight restaurants including Picos, a Mexican restaurant; Red Radish, a salad bar; Julian’s, a coffee shop; Pom & Honey, a Mediterranean restaurant; Poly Deli, Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express and a buffet style all-you-can-eat restaurant.
Six of the eight restaurants will be ready for business on opening day, according to Russell Monteath, director of commercial services with the Cal Poly Corp., followed by Panda Express in spring quarter and the all-you-can-eat restaurant in the fall.
On Friday, the university gave The Tribune a tour of the new facility, which features high vaulted ceilings, arrays of new benches that have chargers for students to plug their devices into and a forum space for meeting.
The section of the facility nearest to Poly View Road, which was previously used for back end operations, has now been opened up for more dining space and restaurants. The space is illuminated by various lamps and expansive windows that wrap the building.
The complex is made up of two main buildings connected by a large, covered breezeway with outdoor seating and space for vendor pop-ups, according to the news release.
The university said it borrowed design elements from Chelsea Market in New York, the Ferry Building in San Francisco and the Krog Street Market in Atlanta to create a socially oriented environment.
The renovation carried a price tag of $40 million, $10 million more than what the university had originally anticipated in 2021, due to rain damage.
The complex can seat up to 1,000 patrons — 800 inside and 200 outside, Monteath said.
He said that the new facility will employ 200 full-time workers and 800 to 1,000 part-time student employees. He said it will take a lot of the burden off of Cal Poly’s other main dining space, Vista Grande, which currently serves a 12,000 of the 20,000 meals served daily on campus.
The university said that sustainability was one of its main priorities in the remodel and the new building, which features low-flow water taps, large windows and a “comprehensive energy-efficient design to keep the facilities’ carbon footprint low.”
