Chartwells is currently underway with a renovation project in Cherry Street Market, known by students as C-Street. It has two different phases planned, modifying both the serving stations and the preparation areas.
Shelley Strayer, resident district manager of Chartwells, explained why this renovation project is taking place and why she thinks it to be so important.
“Prior to us being on campus, we conducted a lot of forums and students told us that the [serving stations] themselves were very crowded, the lines were lengthy and it’s a very condensed space,” she said. “What we’re trying to accomplish is to spread the service out a little bit and create these hubs in which people can gather around and have great food.”
Cherry Street Market is currently under construction in order to expand and make way for separate food stations.
Construction of the three new kiosks started the first week of April and Chartwells plans to open these new locations in late June for the first phase of this renovation project.
The first of the three new kiosks that are underway for construction is Tu Taco, which will be celebrating authentic Latin cuisine. The Puget Pour will offer Acai bowls, fresh brewed coffee, smoothies, and other specialty drinks. The last kiosk will be Emerald Bowl, which is being moved to the center of the south side of C-Street.
“We know a couple of things that are very popular, one being Asian food and the other being Mexican food,” Strayer said. “We spent a lot of time prior where we were preparing for what students, faculty, and staff wanted to see on campus.”
Andrew Gaynor, Chartwells executive chef, explained how the menus were created and why they were selected for a kiosk spot.
“The menus themselves in the individual kiosks are going to be driven by what we’ve learned in our time here, and what we see selling,” he said. “We’re also adding a lot of new things that we see are kind of trendy at all the restaurants around town. We’re trying to expand upon what’s in the community that’s really popular.”
Phase two of the renovation project is going to be taking place over the summer and is scheduled to be finished before fall quarter begins. It will focus on Chartwells staff, giving them more space to work in an aim to make their jobs easier.
“We go through a lot of fried foods here on a college campus and right now, our associates have to drain it and wheel big, heavy things of waste oil to the back dock and empty it,” Gaynor said. “Now, there’s going to be a whole filtration system where they flip a button and there’s no more pushing heavy carts and it just filters it to the back for them.”
This second phase will also create a safer environment for allergy friendly guests as there will be a kitchen dedicated as an allergy safe zone. This location will have its own set of equipment so they are able to lower the chances of cross contamination. This location will be adjacent to the gluten-free area.
First-year Economics major Isaiah Payne expressed his excitement for the new renovations coming to C-Street and how they will be beneficial to the Seattle U community
“I’m excited about for the renovation because it gives students different food options and also allows there to be more room in C-Street when we are ordering and getting food,” Payne said. “I love poke, being from Hawaii, and I like coffee too, so I’m very excited that I can go to different places.”
Caylah may be reached at
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