April opening set for Campus Club

Renovations will continue throughout the academic year on the corner of Prospect Avenue and Washington Road as the building continues its transformation from defunct eating club to student center.

Dianne Spatafore, director of Campus Club, blamed the delays on a series of small problems as opposed to one central issue and noted that the building’s age, a previous renovation and a fire during the building’s time as an eating club all contributed to the structural problems that caused the delay.

“Some of the things they assumed in terms of structure weren’t there when they opened the walls up,” she explained.

Libby Hutton ’09, chair of the advisory board, said that the delay will give the board much-needed time to plan for the opening.

“It gives us a chance to do all the things we didn’t have time to do last spring,” she said. The programming board, also composed of students and under the control of the advisory board, will plan the day-to-day activities of the club.

“The goal is that [Campus Club is] for students by students,” advisory board member Cindy Kroll ’11 said.

“We wanted students to have the opportunity to have a social space on the Street that was open to everyone in an equal way,” Spatafore said, adding that unlike eating clubs, “everybody’s a member.”

When the club does open, it will include space for study and relaxation, as well as a video game room and a library. The taproom, however, will have the taps removed and will not serve alcohol.

Saurabh Gupta GS, a member of the advisory board, noted the club’s independence from Frist. “They wanted students to have their own kind of activity center,” he explained, noting that unlike Frist, Campus Club will not include classroom space.

The plans also include meeting rooms that registered student groups will be able to meet in or rent out for events “for little to no cost,” Hutton said.

That policy, however, would exclude fraternities and sororities from using the space, Spatafore said.

The advisory board is also considering the feasibility of keeping the club open 24 hours per day, though a decision has not yet been reached due to security concerns.

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Gupta noted that Campus Club is intended as a space for both undergraduate and graduate students. “I think that once Campus Club starts, the undergrads will see the graduate students as social human beings.”