Hodgdon Good-To-Go will have a new layout and menu by the time that students return to Tufts in the fall.
Renovations to the take-out-style dining hall will begin immediately after commencement and are slated to end by the third week of August, according to Director of Dining and Business Services Patricia Klos said.
According to Vice President of Operations John Roberto, the project is long overdue.
In the more than 50 years since it was built, it has not undergone any major construction. "The time has come for a sorely needed renovation," Roberto said.
He said that the majority of the construction will take place in Hodgdon's kitchen, where new mechanical and electrical systems and kitchen equipment will be installed.
Although several choices will be added to the menu and the layout will be rearranged, Hodgdon will still feature its traditional food stations.
"The main concepts will not change, [because] Hodgdon has consistently received high marks [on student surveys]," Klos said.
Other changes are meant to better respond to student needs and to add to efficiency. In response to requests from students living in apartment-style residences on campus, Klos said that the new Hodgdon will likely provide more snack selections such as heat-and-serve meals and salad entrees.
Two cash registers will also be added, bringing the total to four. During peak hours, the staff will put all four to use, easing congestion and potentially providing additional employment opportunities for students.
Beyond that, changes will be made to the décor as well. Historic photos from Tufts' archives will adorn the walls, and "Medford" and "Somerville" signs that currently hang behind the deli counter will be recreated as larger mosaics and displayed more prominently.
Construction teams will get a jump on renovations during spring break by performing removing asbestos from Hodgdon's floor tiling.
Director of Construction Management M. Mitchell Bodnarchuk said that great care will be taken in this process. "When they remove [the asbestos], they do air-quality tests and they make sure that everything is safe," he said. "There are strict precautions that they follow."
Hodgdon's overhaul is one of many refurbishments scheduled to take place as part of Dining Services' five-year Capital Plan. The plan pinpoints the facilities most in need of renovation and allocates funds accordingly.
Tufts will likely see improved kitchen equipment in Dewick-MacPhie, new delivery vehicles for Tufts Catering and cosmetic improvements to Brown and Brew in the near future, Klos said.
She said that all current and future projects aim to improve service to students while retaining the unique appeal of each dining facility. "We try to make each destination a bit different," she said. "But we strive to maintain the same quality."
