Pizza Xpress has temporarily closed its longtime location in Hope Commons and reopened inside Astro’s Grill as part of a larger renovation planned for the Mainfare Dining Hall.
Pizza Xpress is expected to return to Hope Commons once renovations are finished.
The revamp is part of a larger dining hall renovation that has been in planning for several years and is expected to continue through the summer, according to Pierre St-Germain, the director of dining and conference services. The relocation allows construction to begin while still preserving late-night food options for students.
“Many years ago…it was determined that we needed to do a refresh of the Mainfare dining hall,” St-Germain said.
Over the past year, the university contracted an architect and contractor, with most of the work scheduled for the summer, according to St-Germain.
To make the renovation a summer-long project, Dining Services needed to give contractors as much time as possible, leading to closing off the Pizza Xpress location.
“Hopefully, soon you’ll see a temporary wall going up inside of Mainfare,” St-Germain said.
The renovation will eventually remove a wall near Mainfare’s front entrance that currently separates the dining hall from Rhody Market.
“Eventually, there will be a passageway there and so the two spaces will become one,” St-Germain said.
As construction began, Pizza Xpress was moved into Astro’s to preserve late-night dining. While most of the menu made the transition, one item didn’t.
“The menu is the same, less the pizza, ironically,” Tara Russo, assistant director of residential dining, said.
Pizza was removed because the ovens used previously are no longer available, according to Russo. Alternative ones accessible on campus did not meet the quality standards.
“It doesn’t crisp up, it doesn’t brown, it’s not a great product,” Russo said. “We feel like people would be unhappy with it.”
Despite the absence of pizza, popular items like quesadillas, jumbo mozzarella sticks and fried Oreos remain available at Astro’s, according to Russo.
The pizza took significantly longer to cook and the only modification made was the hours, according to Russo.
Students may notice additional changes around Mainfare as construction continues. Windows have been covered and signs explaining the closure are expected to go up soon, according to St-Germain.
When complete, the renovation is expected to dramatically change the dining hall experience, with about 200 to 250 extra seats, according to St-Germain.
There will be additional stations similar to the deli and homestyle area, creating a more dynamic layout, according to St-Germain.
Pizza Xpress is expected to return to Hope Commons once renovations are finished.
