Since August, the Mezz has been converted from a cool study and hangout area with late night wings, pizza, pool, and ping pong tables to a bland, dark, empty room above the Main Dining Room (MDR) with broken or missing parts to the ping pong and pool tables. Why has this happened and what is going to be done to change it?
“A number of uses have been talked about for the Mezz, but nothing firm has been decided,” Mike Horan, vice president of business and finance and the university treasurer, said. “A couple of options have been to renovate the space for a student workout facility, another is to use it for conference space … Aramark has said that if we were to renovate the Mezz as a workout facility, they would want to open a juice bar up there.”
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Students tend to have a general consensus about what Capital should do with the Mezz. After being surveyed, many students suggested another food option.
“I liked the traditional idea we had last year”, said junior Luke Matyas. “I honestly miss it. With the performances… I had fun.”
“There’s something unique about going up there and getting your pasta and hanging out with your friends”, said senior Alli Hiniman. “They had the crappiest pizzas ever, but when it was that late, it did the trick.”
“Obviously two food options isn’t enough when around 7pm-12am (when most students have dinner) the wait times are past 30 minutes to an hour,” said first-year Desiree Bray. “Maybe make Mezz a wing spot again, or make it a spot where students can make their own food with the help of chefs or employees … Not every student wants to eat pizza and burgers or can eat pizza and burgers, or wants the same salad every day.”
Students have also expressed how they felt about the space being turned into a workout facility.
Hiniman Said, “It would be convenient for people eating in the MDR. They could just go workout after they finished eating.”
“A workout facility could be a really good alternative for students away from the Capital Center. It could be geared towards non-athletes”, said senior Nick Reade.
However the space is used, the area is not currently being used to its upmost potential and there are no plans set in stone to update the Mezz.
What do you think should happen to the Mezz?
