UMD Remodeling Main Kitchen, Among Other Campus Projects

DULUTH, Minn. — UMD’s 1971 kitchen, originally designed to serve 800 students is getting a multi-million-dollar makeover to better service the campus community.

The main kitchen is located underground, and nearby offices will be converted for expansion needs. The new kitchen total costs are about $25 million. It is designed to be more efficient and include newer equipment. As for food, the bakery is tripling in size and more grab and go options will be located in different parts of campus.

“It’s one of the places that students spend the most time collectively on campus. So, we know that we nourish them both literally with their bodies and we nourish them with the social experiences and also the chance to grow and become emerging adults,” said Betsy Helgesen, Director of Dining Services at UMD.

The main kitchen is expected to be complete by January or February. It employs up to 250 students a year. UMD officials say projects go beyond the kitchen.

“We have a remodel of Griggs Hall pods C and D. That’s going to help our student experience. We’re doing a number of restroom remodels to make it more accessible and inclusive. We’re doing a campus wide LED upgrade that we’re working through. And then as with every summer we have a lot of maintenance projects that we’re working on and we paint a lot,” said Sam Clark, Project Manager for Facilities Management at UMD.

When students leave campus the projects all get started. Projects are planned out years in advance and get prioritized. All of them are done with student focus in mind.