This semester marks the reopening of Riggs Residence Hall and Lakeside Dining Hall after a period of renovation, and the student reception of the new facilities is overwhelmingly positive.

The renovations to Riggs Hall cost $13 million to complete over a construction period of two years, while Lakeside Dining Hall renovations tallied about $7.2 million with a construction time of a year and a half, according to Director of Facilities Design and Construction Tom Simmonds ’84, M ’88. The projects were done through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

Riggs Hall has spacious rooms, large windows providing a spectacular view of Lake Ontario, and several lounges and common areas for students to gather for study or fun.

"It’s colorful, it’s new, it’s got a lot of gathering space and it takes advantage of the views of the lake," said Simmonds.

Freshman roommates Lindsay Norton ’11, a zoology major, and Colleen Czajak ’11, an adolescent education major, are thrilled with their new home in Riggs Hall.

Czajak was impressed with how welcoming the building was. "There are lots of places to hang out, including one room that has a fireplace. It’s great to meet new people, especially the upperclassmen, who have been so helpful," she said.

"We have a lot of room and the building still smells like fresh paint,” said Norton. “It’s pretty cool knowing that we are the first ones who get to sleep in these rooms."

Norton commented on how peaceful it is living so close to the lake. "The other night we and some friends took candles out and sat on the rocks by the lake. It was beautiful."

While Riggs Hall is proving to be a comfortable setting for freshmen to ease their way into college, upperclassmen are taking advantage of the refurbished building as well.

Amanda Kristina Acobes ’08, a theater major, moved from Onondaga to Riggs Hall this year. "I think that it’s a really beautiful building, and that this renovation, along with all of the other campus building face-lifts, really gives the campus a fresher look."

Perhaps one of the best things about living in Riggs Hall is that it is connected to the renovated Lakeside Dining Hall. The new dining hall features modern designs, a bright, clean atmosphere and a view like none other.

Windows span the entire north wall from floor to ceiling, providing the perfect setting to enjoy a meal. The sitting area is reminiscent of a café, featuring round tables and booths ideal for large groups, and smaller tall tables and chairs, perfect for a quiet meal for two.

Funky lights and geometric designs hang from the ceiling, while hues of green and tan mimic the natural setting viewed through the windows.

The most unique thing about Lakeside Dining Hall is the serving style. Rather than having students go through one line to select their meal, they instead receive their food in stations. The center of the serving area is a large oval structure, including a salad bar, fresh fruit, soups and desserts. Other stations surrounding the circumference of the serving area include a pasta bar, deli bar, the featured meal on the menu, and grilled and vegetarian selections. The dining hall also features Asian cuisine as the dinner specialty.

Director of Resident Dining Craig Traub said of the facility, "We’re just looking forward to the year and learning the new facility. We’re excited about it and the customers are excited about it. We’re ready to go."

— Kristin Quinn ’08

PHOTO CAPTION:
Front Desk: At the Riggs Hall front desk are, from left, Desk Attendant Patricia Hollister '08 and Resident Assistants Giselle Guerrero '08 and Mike Kiley '08.
Lounge: Resident Assistants playing the video game "Guitar Hero" in the Riggs Hall lounge are, from left, Peter Cavana '08, Megan Pilla '08 and Giselee Guerrero '08.
Room: Breanna Dees '11 (left), a communications major from East Berne, and Annie Hirschkorn '11, a biochemistry major (and hockey recruit) from North Carolina, spend some time in their room in the recently renovated Riggs Hall.

At the salad buffet in renovated Lakeside Dining Hall are Cathleen Richards '09, broadcasting major, and Dan Braun '09, technology education major.

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