A fresh look to Glen Dining Hall
With a sleek and modern renovation, The Glen is ready to bring its new, made-to-order menu to the center of campus
By Kyle Hobstetter on August 2, 2020
Built in 1983 and renovated in 2004, the Glen Dining Hall was due for a facelift.
Luckily for Towson University students, when they return to campus this fall, they
will see a new and improved version of The Glen.
One of the biggest changes that students will see is the removal of the pizza oven
that was in the middle of the building. It has been replaced and moved to the side
to increase the flow of seating.
This is a perfect example of what Dining Services wanted to do with the renovation—
modernize the space and give it a sleek, new design.
It’s just one of the many cosmetic changes that will be seen in The Glen. This includes
the campus’ first touch screen ordering kiosk as well as LED menu boards, new tables
and chairs and a new second floor area.
The second floor, which was mostly empty space, will now feature a seating area for
guests as well as a retail location selling coffee, pastries, baked goods and ice
cream.
The renovations not only updated The Glen’s look and efficiency; they meet LEED silver
certification standards. As a benchmark for the sustainability of campus buildings,
LEED provides a framework for identifying and implementing measurable green building
design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
It will be the 10th building on campus to receive certification from LEED.
“You’ll see the cosmetic changes, but there was so much involved in the project you
won’t see in terms of efficiency,” says Robert Campbell, associate vice president
of Auxiliary Services. “There are new mechanical and electrical upgrades that you
don't see, to go along with a ton that you do see. All of it was needed.”
Along with the cosmetic changes, there will be upgrades to the food, which has been
described by Dining Services staff as “scoop and serve from hotel pans.”
With the new equipment, a lot of food will now be cooked to order with an emphasis
on presentation and freshness. The 21,000-square-foot renovation includes six new
food stations, flexible pop-up stations and an expansion of the kitchen.
With more kitchen space, comes more variety in food. New options at The Glen will
include hand-tossed pastas, grain bowls, an allergen station, which will host vegetarian
and gluten-free meal options, and an updated deli section.
The Glen will also welcome a new executive chef when it opens, as chef Kevin Ryan
will move from the catering department at the start of the academic term. When updating
the kitchen, the process featured a lot of input from both Ryan and Chris Shoul, the
district executive chef for the university.
With the renovations to the Glen Dining Hall finished, the campus will focus on the
University Union expansion, which will feature a new food service area.
These renovations are meant to accommodate the rising TU community and to create an
up-to-date, modern atmosphere befitting the university's growth. More than $700M is being invested into TU's physical campusover a seven-year span.
Making special preparations
As with many buildings on campus, The Glen Dining Hall will take special precautions
to help the Towson University community stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To start the academic term, the Glen Dining Hall will only allow 50% occupancy at
all times. The Glen will also be downsizing the menus to focus on speed of service
and prevent lines forming.
And, like all Towson University dining halls this fall, The Glen will feature updated
takeout and delivery services available to the TU community.
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