HAMLET — Of the several construction projects going on at Richmond Community College’s Hamlet campus, perhaps none have generated as much excitement among faculty and the student body than the college’s new cafeteria that will be completed sometime in November.

The new cafeteria will bring much-needed nutrition options to the campus. Right now, the closest thing RCC has to a cafeteria is a food truck located near the site of the new facility. The food truck is popular among students and staff, but it doesn’t have the capacity to serve the entire campus, said Sheri Dunn-Ramsay, RCC’s associate vice president of marketing and strategic planning.

The cafeteria will sit between 80 and 100 people. Its menu will be similar to cafes at other academic institutions, with options for many different diets.

“People are excited about having hot food on campus,” Dunn-Ramsay said.

“We’ll be able to offer it in the evening time if businesses or organizations need an event space with hot food,” she added. “It’ll also open up catering options at the Cole Auditorium.”

The construction of the cafeteria is partly supported by state bonds. One stipulation stemming from that is that the cafe’s operations can’t be subcontracted out to a company like Sodexo or Sysco. Instead, someone will be hired by RCC to run the cafe. Students will be hired to work at the cafe as well.

Another major project that is underway at RCC is the renovation of the Lee Building, the oldest building on campus. New offices and common areas are being added to the building. When the Lee Building project is complete in Mid-July, RCC’s Student Services department, as well as the college’s Career and Transfer Center, will move into the new space.

Part of the space currently occupied by the Student Services Center will be converted to faculty offices. The Career and Transfer Center is currently set up in a makeshift office until the Lee Building project is finished.

Dunn-Ramsay said many Student Services employees — counselors, registrars and others — are spread out around campus, and the new office space will allow them to work out of once centralized location.

The Robert L. and Elizabeth S. Cole Auditorium is also under renovation. The 1,000-seat auditorium, which includes dressing rooms, a kitchen area and banquet rooms, was recently re-painted. The auditorium’s stage will be renovated near the end of this month.

There’s also plenty of work being done away from the Hamlet campus. in downtown Rockingham, the Kenneth and Claudia Robinette Building is still under construction. On May 8, RCC President Dale McInnis said he expects the Robinette Building will be turned over to the college in mid-June. He said construction crews still have significant work to do between now and then.

The Robinette Building will house the Leon Levine School of Business and Information Technology.

File photo This is a digital rendering on what Richmond Community College’s new Student Services and Career Center building will look like.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/web1_rccstudentcenter_color-1.jpgFile photo This is a digital rendering on what Richmond Community College’s new Student Services and Career Center building will look like.

Brandon Tester | Daily Journal New offices and common areas are currently being added to the Lee Building, the oldest building on Richmond Community College’s campus. Once the project is complete, the Lee Building will provide additional space for RCC’s Student Services department, as well as the college’s Career and Transfer Center.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/web1_B204858C-0A8E-47F5-A7EA-4D5C308683D6_ne202051519317572-1.jpegBrandon Tester | Daily Journal New offices and common areas are currently being added to the Lee Building, the oldest building on Richmond Community College’s campus. Once the project is complete, the Lee Building will provide additional space for RCC’s Student Services department, as well as the college’s Career and Transfer Center.

Brandon Tester

Staff Writer

Reach Brandon Tester at btester@www.yourdailyjournal.com or 910-817-2671. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonTester.