As the winter term draws to a close, the campus has turned its attention to poster boards located in the Trophy Room and Greer Store. They advertise the floor plans of the new Greer and fitness center renovations.
Chief Financial Officer Joseph Manory explained that as early as the beginning of May the Greer Store will be shut down for a “demolition.” In its place a New York-style hot dog cart decorated by Mr. Dickinson’s art class will visit Albany Road to cater to student’s snack needs.
Mr. Manory said, “Louis Café hours are expected to be extended further into the afternoon and evening.” Despite these compensations, there is no doubt the Greer Store will be missed, and its return will be all-the-more exciting.
Deerfield Projects Manager Jeff Galli made clear just how exciting the renovation will be. Scheduled to reopen in early October, the new store will be much bigger than the existing one. While only 78 seats are currently available, the newer store will have 164. The room itself will be 4,230 sq. ft., including the new men’s and women’s rooms within. To effectively call order names in the bigger Greer, a PA system will be installed.
The kitchen will also be larger. Director of Food Services Florrie Paige noted, “The service will speed up significantly, as the equipment and workspace will be much more efficient.”
The new store has more to offer beyond its efficiency and greater size. According to Mr. Manory, the wood paneling on the walls will be cherry, mimicking the “feel of the Trophy Room.” The new furniture will be similar to that of the Koch Center, and new menu items such as pizza will be available.
According to the architect, the new Greer will include a stage equipped with “multi-media A.V. and I.T. system.” “The plan is that a student band could come in anytime, plug in, and play,” Ms. Paige said.
New room provided by upcoming “demolition” will relocate student mailboxes and introduce a multi-use room. Outfitted with its own audio-video system much like the stage, the multi-use room will most likely house Academy board meetings and may be available for extra-curricular clubs.
The board originally planned the project two years ago, but halted it due to the economic downturns. With new donor interest and a drop in construction cost, the new plan “saved 25% of the original cost,” Mr. Manory said.