Danieley Center residents were notified Feb. 3 that construction was officially underway on two new facilities in the Danieley Neighborhood. In October, Board of Trustees approved plans for an expansion of the Violet Hoffman Daniel Commons Building, as well as a proposal for a 14,850-square-foot recreation center located on the north edge of Danieley Center, between University Drive and the residence halls.
The 4,000-square-foot addition to the east side of Daniel Commons will feature a larger common room, a possible classroom area, neighborhood offices, Einstein Bros. Bagels, a demonstration kitchen and an outdoor patio for residents and the existing Qdoba Mexican Grill dining area will stay.
The new multipurpose facility will house a 1,200-square-foot fitness center, staff offices and recreation space to be used for sports and social events, according to Brad Moore, university architect and director of planning, design and construction management.
Elon construction workers put up a fence around Daniel Commons last week that closes off all but one entrance to the building, but students aren’t bothered. For Danieley residents, the benefits outweigh the costs.
“The only inconvenience is really the noise literally right outside our windows in the HIJK area in the morning,” said sophomore Alexa Lowey, a Danieley Center RA. Still, despite the noisy construction, Lowey predicts residents will be happy to have a new common space that will enhance the community feeling in Danieley Center neighborhood.
“Being in Danieley, we all know the struggle of feeling like we’re on the other side of the world,” Lowey said. “I’m excited to be able to have more things happening on this side of campus, especially having somewhere to get breakfast.”
As long as neither project is delayed by winter weather, Moore said, both new facilities should be in use by the start of the fall 2015 semester.