Livingston campus sees vendor openings, renovated buildings

Amid the sounds of people talking and children laughing, a crowd waited in line, each person anticipating his or her chance to grab one of 16 cold, metal handles. The frozen treat they received was free, and for most, worth the wait.

For the patrons at 16 Handles, one of the new shops at The Plaza on Livingston campus, the free yogurt on Sunday was an unexpected surprise.

Akash Patel, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said he was visiting a friend on the campus when he saw the line outside the new shop.

“We knew [16 Handles] was supposed to open Monday, when we saw people coming out with ice cream, we wanted to see what was going on,” he said. “A girl greeted us at the door and said that it was all free today only.”

Farrah Bhalloo, owner of the shop, said she is excited to be able to bring frozen yogurt to the campus. While Rutgers students have many options for the frozen treat, most options are on the College Avenue campus, a bus ride away.

16 Handles hopes to relate to what college kids are really looking for, Bhalloo said. They want to be the location people immediately think of when they think of Rutgers and frozen yogurt.

“16 Handles started in New York, and we want to bring some of what the city has to offer here to New Jersey,” she said. “This is the 40th location in the company, with our only other N.J. store in Summit, N.J.”

Antonio Calcado, vice president of Facilities and Capital Planning, said the campus saw many changes over the summer, including the finalization of the new Business School building, as well as all of the shops underneath the Livingston Apartments.

“All of the spaces are leased, and all of the businesses are either open or will be open this week,” he said. “[The shops] provide another option for food and things like a technology store and market. It’s not just all food at this point.”

Qdoba and the Rutgers Cinema have been open since last semester, while newer locations, such as Kilmer’s Market, Hoja Asian Fusion and Henry’s Diner have recently opened, Calcado said. Other spots like the technology store and the nail salon will open this week.

Along with the Plaza, the University has made changes on other parts of the campus, he said. The new Business School building has opened and is now holding classes. The building houses over 2,000 classroom seats in various configurations.

“[The Business School building] was designed by a world famous architect, Enrique Norten,” he said. “The building is fitting as the centerpiece of the Livingston campus, and it shows the commitment of Rutgers to be a business school and its business programs.”

While the outside looks very modern, the inside is cozy, Calcado said. The building is a standout among the rest of the buildings on Livingston, with enormous glass panels hugging its sides.

“It was intended to be an iconic building on campus,” he said.

Kevin Dowlin, executive director of Information Technologies and Instructional Services at Rutgers-New Brunswick and Rutgers-Newark, said the 143,000 square-foot building includes 23 classrooms, about 10 student lounges and one 447-seat lecture hall.

The building was designed by the architect to cross over Avenue E, the road leading into the heart of Livingston campus, Dowlin said.

“He wanted to create a gateway into the campus, and that’s why the busses drive underneath it when entering the campus,” he said. “We wanted people coming to Livingston to see this new iconic building, and not [the landscape] they have known for so long.”

The opening of the Business School building is a step in the right direction to bring a competitive edge to the University, Dowlin said.

“The business school market is very competitive, and we needed a competitive building in New Brunswick. We have one in Newark that was built four years ago, but ours had been built in the 1980s,” he said. “This will help us recruit and bring in students from New Jersey.”

The building houses department-specific classrooms, and allows business faculty to focus on teaching, rather than worrying about equipment in a general-purpose room, Dowlin said. This creates less focus on a blackboard or a broken projector, and more on the material.

According to a statement from E.J. Miranda, director of media relations, the six-story, $85 million facility was supported by a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor and also features a business library.

While the building is still in the midst of final touches, Dowlin said he has heard nothing but positive reviews about the new instructional facility.

Along with the shops underneath the apartments and the Business School building, Rutgers also made another big change to the Livingston campus over the summer, Calcado said. Tillett Hall’s old dining hall has been completely renovated, and now encompasses 1,600 more seats.

“We have reformed the old dining hall into smart classrooms. They are loaded with technology, and we feel students will be really happy with them,” he said. “In addition to the classrooms, a computer lab has also been added overlooking the fountain.”

The $13.5 million renovation to Tillett Hall also included upgrades to the heating, cooling and lighting systems, according to the statement from Miranda.

Along with new classrooms, Tillett Hall now has a new mailroom, Calcado said.

“The mailroom has been updated,” he said. “You can get anything sent to you, from a refrigerator to whatever else you want.”

Livingston is not the only campus that has experienced change over the summer — Douglass campus has opened a new dance studio, he said.

“We’ve opened Mortensen Hall on Douglass. It has dance studios and classroom spaces,” Calcado said. “It’s brand new this fall and it’s ready to go.”

The new $12.5 million, 24,000 square-foot facility, adjacent to the Nicholas Music Center, will also house a multi-level atrium space with a café, according to Miranda’s statement. The building will unify the Mason Gross School of the Arts and allow for future growth.

The University also plans to construct a new chemistry building on Busch campus, and Calcado said the designs are still being drawn up for that project. The plans are expected to be going out for a bid later this fall.