Cal Poly replacing Vista Grande dining with larger eatery

A long-established eating hub for Cal Poly students is being replaced by a health-conscious dining complex more than twice its size that is scheduled to open in 2018.

The university started construction in mid-August on the 35,000-square-foot food center near the campus entrance at Grand Avenue and Deer Road. The structure supplants the 43-year-old Vista Grande dining facility that measured 16,899 square feet.

Demolition began Aug. 15 on the old building, which had served as a sit-down restaurant, burger bar and student dining hall.

The new three-story Vista Grande Dining Complex will focus primarily on residential student dining. But it also will operate as a market and retail dining establishment, said Lorlie Leetham, Cal Poly Corp.’s executive director.

“Anyone on campus can eat there,” Leetham said. “It will be modern and offer fresh, on-trend food options.”

The $30 million dining complex is being paid for by Cal Poly Corp.’s campus dining reserves and revenue. 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 new complex will feature six microrestaurants. Specific menus and recipes haven’t been developed yet, but the tentative themes are: a breakfast brunch station with foods including eggs, pancakes and waffles; a noodle bar with Asian or Italian food; an allergy-free station serving those with nut allergies or who eat gluten-free or kosher; “street foods” such as tacos and sandwiches; a “hearth” eatery with giant pizza ovens where students can make their own pies; and a dessert station.

“These restaurants will put an emphasis on nutritious food that is sustainably sourced and include Cal Poly products when available,” the university’s website states.

The hub will offer extensive patio seating areas, lounge chairs and outdoor fire pits, as well as game tables and seating designed for relaxing and socializing.

The structure will be built according to environmentally conscious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, focusing on water and energy conservation. Large windows and low-flow taps are included in the design.

The new Vista Grande will be the closest dining facility to freshman residence halls such as Sierra Madre and Yosemite halls, though the campus dining plan allows students to eat at any campus dining venue.

The new hub also will be close to the Student Housing South dormitory complex, which will house 1,475 students at the corner of Grand Avenue and Slack Street, when that project is completed in 2018. The expectation is “many of those students will use (the new Vista Grande) as their primary dining facility,” Leetham said.

In the meantime this fall, students will have extended hours to eat at The Avenue, which offers a range of eating options in the heart of campus. The campus also will have two new food trucks, one serving meals on the go and one serving Starbucks products.

This story was originally published August 27, 2016 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Cal Poly replacing Vista Grande dining with larger eatery."