Cal Poly’s new sustainable dining complex gets a name — and a timeline for opening

Cal Poly’s dining complex in the middle of a two-year renovation just got a new name — bringing it one step closer to its reopening fall 2023.

The Campus Dining complex (Building 19) will be called 1901 Marketplace, after the year Cal Poly was founded.

The complex, which formerly housed The Avenue and 805 Kitchen, is a $30 million project as part of the Cal Poly Corporation’s $80 million investment to “enhance the student experience,” Cal Poly Corp. spokesperson Aaron Lambert said. This funding also went towards a food truck village, the creation of a food market in the University Union and more projects to come.

The Cal Poly Corp. serves a complementary role to the campus’ educational activities, operating as a self-supporting nonprofit that’s independent of Cal Poly’s General Fund administration. The organization’s multi-million dollar revenue comes from Campus Dining, the University Store, commercial agriculture and more, according to its website.

Designers intend to transform the university’s longest operating food service complex from a “humble cafeteria” into a “gathering place at the center of Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing culture,” according to a university news release.

To get feedback on the name selection, Campus Dining polled students and reached out to groups like Associated Students Inc., Inter Housing Council and Campus Dining student employees via Hive Wise, a collective intelligence and decision making platform.

1901 Marketplace to provide more diverse food options

Students have voiced concerns over the lack of allergen-free, vegan and culturally diverse food options at Cal Poly. The university said 1901 Marketplace aims to fill those gaps.

The dining hall’s community space will include local business pop-ups, vendors and Cal Poly groups. New options will include Mediterranean, Mexican and various sandwich choices, according to the news release.

Lambert said the new food options are based on student feedback and national trends. Since Campus Dining started planning the renovation, the staff has taken feedback through surveys, advisory committee meetings, focus groups and forums.

The complex will include nine food venues, including Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, The Habit Burger Grill and some Campus Dining original venues.

Chick-fil-A was featured in the dining complex in previous years, sparking protests from faculty and students due to the company’s support of discriminatory and anti-LGBTQ organizations.

1901 Marketplace will also be built to meet sustainable design standards to gain the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification — also earned by Cal Poly’s Vista Grande Dining Complex. The Cal Poly Corp. also funded the $39 million Vista Grande renovation that was completed in fall 2020.

Large windows, low-flow taps and other energy-efficient design elements will keep the dining hall’s carbon footprint low.

The open marketplace design, including a deck and outdoor seating, is inspired by the Ferry Building in San Francisco, Chelsea Market in New York and Krog Street Market in Atlanta, according to the dining hall’s website.

This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 12:49 PM.