Renovated Newell Dining opens for spring semester

By Pam Gorsuch on January 27, 2017

Reunited and it feels so good! Newell Dining Hall is reopening with expanded services and new menu options following seven months of renovations.

The upstairs dining hall has been reconfigured and now features a Boar’s Head deli, a fresh bakery serving custom cakes and a Kosher kitchen that is twice the size of its predecessor. Walls surrounding the servery have been removed to reveal open kitchens at many of the food stations. Diners can watch chefs make fresh pizza dough, grill chicken and prepare a variety of made-to-order dishes.

“We’re offering our most popular menu items in an updated, restaurant-like setting,” said John Brady, director of operations for Dining Services.

When their food is ready, diners can take a seat at new communal tables in the cathedral dining room. The room is original to the building’s 1914 construction and was redesigned with iron chandeliers and heavy wood chairs in homage to the building’s history. Diners will also have access to newly renovated gender-neutral bathrooms located adjacent to the second-floor entrance.

The Newell Den has also been updated and now features a new made-to-order salad station as well as a wide variety of soups. Diners can choose from a range of ingredients and have them mixed or wrapped in front of them to be eaten alongside freshly-baked bread from the bakery upstairs. The deli and grab-and-go options previously in the Den are now available upstairs in Newell. Deli options will be available to Newell Dining Hall diners during dining hall hours. From Monday through Thursday, the deli will stay open after the dining hall closes and offer a broader menu of retail options until 11 p.m.

In addition to expanding dining options, the renovation included much-needed improvements to the building’s roof and masonry. Windows were replaced and LED lighting was installed, improving the building’s energy efficiency and giving the dining areas a brighter feel.

The Den will be open for move-in Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29 from 4:30 to 11 p.m. Beginning Monday, January 30, the Newell Dining Hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The Den will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 4:30 to 11 p.m. on weekends. More information is available on the dining website.

Panda Express Opening in West Village

Diners in the West Village will also have a new food option for the spring semester. Panda Express is opening Monday, January 30 and will offer quick, casual Chinese food. The West Village location will offer all the mainstays of the popular eatery, including fried rice, egg rolls and orange chicken. The new Panda Express will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4:30 to 11 p.m. on weekends. It replaces Roadside BBQ.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: Strategic Plan Alignment