Sequencing and double shifts were key ingredients that made this project cook.

Located within the lower-level of University of New Haven’s main dining hall, the updated Bartels Marketplace provides students with a diverse offering of eleven food stations, a U-Cook (where students and staff can flex their creative cooking skills), as well as offerings for those who have to manage food allergies and/or special dietary needs.

This project commenced in mid-summer (2023) when most of the student population was on break and was completed in the fall upon their return. Due to the relatively short window of time to renovate the space and upgrade infrastructure, it was critical that the sequencing of construction from start to finish had to make the most impact possible in their time allocated.

In-order to achieve the schedule success and turn-over that was required and expected by the University of New Haven, the project moved to a two-shift operation. All minor, non-disrupting work activities took place during regular business hours and the major construction activities, such as steel erection, equipment shutdowns and finish installations, occurred during a third shift operation to minimize the impact. Making this happen required a great team effort with the main focal point being communication and coordination especially following the return of the students and faculty.

The project started with the beverage station, followed with the Simple Zone (special dietary needs) and then finally the U-Cook Station finishing in early fall. The sequencing of this project was paramount to its successful completion and included:

• Selective demolition of the existing slab-on-grade to accommodate the new underground sanitary and grease waste connections and routing.
• Relocations of the point-of-sale counters.
• New structural steel supports connecting to the existing structure.
• New kitchen hood exhaust system routed through the upper two floors to the roof, flooring and wall finishes.

Each required careful planning and hitting the schedule correctly to keep all moving along in sequence – we planned the most disruptive work to take place in off hours. Sequencing continued as the turn-over of areas was coordinated heavily with the end-user and University Staff to ensure smooth transitions to accommodate the students and faculty dining experiences.

The newly renovated Bartels Marketplace is now a top-notch dining experience for students and staff – or as they say on their website, the place where “Food lovers can indulge…”  We were glad to be part of its recipe for its success!