A three-story student center will rise from the ashes of the blaze that destroyed Bethany University’s cafeteria last summer.
Plans for the anticipated 23,868-square-foot building passed the Scotts Valley City Council with unanimous approval Wednesday, March 3.
The new structure will replace the 9,000-square-foot cafeteria that was burned to the ground by an accidental fire in June.
“We had this opportunity to create a better facility for our students and the campus as a whole,” said David Glover, Bethany University’s director of events. “I think this will help move Bethany forward as a university.”
The work is estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million. Construction of the new student center building is anticipated to begin in April and should take about 18 months to finish.
Besides offering a new dining commons, the student center will have a student union, a more expansive bookstore and an information technology department. A bell tower will play traditional Westminster chimes on the hour between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
“We’re moving the bookstore to the center of campus, and it will be more accessible to the community outside the campus,” Glover said.
Glover said the new building will also have office space for members of student government and some classrooms.
Bethany student Samantha Coffee, a 21-year-old senior, is enthusiastic about the plan, even though she will graduate long before its completion.
“It’s absolutely wonderful,” Coffee said. “I’m excited the campus is going to get revamped. It’s really cool, because we’ve been slowly progressing toward that, and now it’s happening.”
Derik Scott, a 20-year-old Bethany junior, is also supportive.
“It’s a good idea to have everything in one central location,” Scott said.
The cause of the June fire had to do with repairs being made to the walk-in cooler and freezer. Copper pipes smoldered next to wood caught fire and burned the entire cafeteria building — a former barracks from Beale Air Force Base, near Marysville, that was donated to the school in 1948 by the government.
The blaze caused about $1.2 million in damage.
While the cost of replacing the cafeteria with the new dining hall will be fully covered by insurance, the additions — such as the student union and fitness center — are extra.
Glover said the university is looking at fundraising options and donations.
After the cafeteria was destroyed, the university turned its chapel into a temporary cafeteria. The pews were taken out, replaced by circular dining tables and chairs. Sloped floors were leveled, the walls were painted, and new lights with fans for circulation were installed.
The adjacent Fireside Room was also gutted and the walls torn down to create a makeshift food-services room, where students pile their plates and get drink refills.
Four trailers serve as a temporary kitchen, wash area, freezer and refrigerator, with a diesel-powered generator that provides electricity.
Lori Coronado, Bethany’s food services manager, said it’s been a challenge settle into the makeshift space.
“I can’t wait for it to get done. We’ve finally gotten the temporary setup to where it feels normal, but once we move, it will be much easier,” Coronado said. “I think we’re going to be in awe when we get over there. It’s going to be incredible.”
