13th Street Cafeteria to Close Its Doors

“Curly fries are now going to be extinct at The New School, and that makes me sad,” said Kenthaney Redmond, a freshman at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

The only cafeteria on campus that still serves deep-fried food, affectionately called “Res Hall” by hungry students, will be closing at the end of this semester. Some of the residents and cafeteria staff at the 13th Street dining hall are upset about the change.

“I really can’t believe they’re closing down the cafeteria. The food is so delicious,” said Kevin Thomas, one of the resident advisors. Since the rooms in the freshman dorm do not have kitchens, the cafeteria is the main source of food for residents. Once the closure goes into effect in the fall of 2014, those students’ only on-campus dining options will be the University Center or food from local restaurants.

“Every other dorm has a source of food, but we’ll have to walk elsewhere,” Parsons freshman Evan Badr said.

Once a popular dining location, Res Hall has already seen a decline in attendance since the University Center opened, according to a security guard who wished to remain anonymous. Res Hall is known for its relaxed and cozy environment, and its friendly staff.

“They brighten my morning when they say hi to me with so much love,” said Victoria Pike, a freshman at the Drama School.

Carmen, a cook at the cafeteria, is beloved by students because she greets diners by saying, “My baby, how are you today?”

Current cafeteria employees will keep their jobs and be transferred to other locations on campus, the director of campus planning, Michael Joy, told the Free Press. Yet, some employees are unhappy that the cafeteria will soon shut down. One employee expressed concern for the effect that the loss of this communal hangout space would have on students.

“I don’t feel too good about it,” said Twayne Davis, an employee at Res Hall. “We’re comfortable coming here, serving y’all, and now we have to go to another place too. [It’s] a change.”

The school plans to bring in to the building, such as a gym, practice rooms for music students, a bigger art studio, and more communal spaces, according to Michael Joy.

With the cafeteria shutting down, residents hope that there will be some source of hot food in the dorm.

“I’d rather make food for myself than go out and face the cold whenever I get hungry,” said Ellen Carpenter, a Lang freshman who lives at the 13th Street dorm.

The University hasn’t announced its exact plans yet for the dorm’s future, but Joy said they are thinking about it.

“We will take [ideas] into consideration and maybe come up with something communal for the dorm, probably have kitchenettes along with other facilities as well,” Michael Joy said.