For over fifty years, Gibbs Dining Hall has been at the heart of life at Eaglebrook. It’s the focal point where students and faculty gather not just to dine, but to foster daily traditions that strengthen community bonds. While the typical American household gathers for meals an average of three times a week, Eaglebrook gathers an impressive nineteen times a week. That longstanding tradition of communal dining is about to step into a new chapter, with the construction of a modern, eco-friendly dining hall overlooking the hillside.
The project has already passed multiple major milestones. Mr. Wes Smith, the construction project manager, said, Smith explained. From the outside, the work might seem chaotic, but each worker is carefully coordinated to keep the project on schedule. To expand Eaglebrook’s commitment to Sustainability, the new dining hall is designed to be one of the most eco-friendly buildings on campus. Mr. Smith described it as a net-zero facility, powered by “21 geothermal wells with photovoltaic panels on the metal roof lines.” Furthermore, its placement into the hillside utilizes the natural insulation of the earth to regulate the temperature, while several green roofs will reduce heat gain and blend the structure into the landscape. The new hall will seat nearly 400 people and feature radiant floors, displacement ventilation, and state-of-the-art kitchen equipment. The inside space will be as functional as it is welcoming. “There have been several milestones hit since the beginning of the project. The most recent is the heavy timber being delivered and erected.”
Students strolling by may have already seen those towering beams rising from behind the construction fences. The next big milestone, Mr. Smith noted, will arrive in the fall when the “building envelope is weather-tight.” Once that is achieved, work on the interior can accelerate. As with any ambitious project, progress has not come without a myriad of hurdles. Construction is rarely straightforward, and “Coordination of information, materials, and labor is constant,” Mr. Smith said. “Weather is also a huge variable; these past months, we have been lucky.” He noted that one of the prime challenges early on was re-routing underground utilities to prepare the foundation on the hillside. Narrow access routes have also tested the construction team’s ability to bring in heavy equipment.
Still, work progresses with precision. On any given day, more than 50 workers are spread across the worksite, each focused on a specific task such as “completing earthwork, masonry, waterproofing, concrete work, carpentry, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing tasks,” as Mr. Smith explained. From the outside, the work might seem chaotic, but each worker is carefully coordinated to keep the project on schedule.
To expand Eaglebrook’s commitment to Sustainability, the new dining hall is designed to be one of the most ecofriendly buildings on campus. Mr. Smith described it as a net-zero facility, powered by “21 geothermal wells with photovoltaic panels on the metal roof lines.” Furthermore, its placement into the hillside utilizes the natural insulation of the earth to regulate the temperature, while several green roofs will reduce heat gain and blend the structure into the landscape. The new hall will seat nearly 400 people and feature radiant f loors, displacement ventilation, and state-of-the-art kitchen equipment. The inside space will be as functional as it is welcoming.
The ambitious project is scheduled to finish this spring, just in time for the graduation of the Class of 2026. When students finally sit down for their first meal in the new dining hall, a space that honors Eaglebrook’s community spirit while embracing a sustainable future, they will be part of a new tradition.
