Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga Tomato Bar Express replaces the Tomato Bar after Dining Services officials found the facility in violation of fire codes. The decision to close Tomato Bar was made shortly before school started, and officials have no plans to reopen. [Click to enlarge]

Students who have noticed an empty place in the basement of the Commons will continue to do so. Tomato Bar will not be reopening after health code violations shut it down this summer.

Dining Services employees inspected the Tomato Bar in the summer in the Commons basement and found it behind in fire codes. After looking into the possible repairs, officials determined it would not reopen because of the significant costs to repair the violations.

"Dining Services will incur a significant cost to bring this equipment into code compliance," said Lallah Howard, interim director of Dining Services. "The decision to not reopen the Tomato Bar was made in August once all options regarding the equipment and code compliance were identified."

Many students returning in the fall semester were surprised by its absence.

"I think it's sad [that they closed it]," said Claire Brown, a sophomore environmental geosciences major.

"I'm mad that it's closed. I liked it a lot," Will Hutto, sophomore general studies major, said. "I thought the food and service was good, and I didn't find anything wrong with it at all."

Will Davis, a freshmen industrial engineering major, heard praise for the dining facility from his friends and realized he was missing out.

"I heard that it was amazing," Davis said. "I'm upset that I didn't get to try it."

Although Tomato Bar will not reopen, dining facilities on the south side of campus will be reevaluated as part of the Department of Residence Life's master plan. The plan includes evaluating and assessing buildings on campus in an effort to possibly expand campus residence or facilities. The report "New Residence Halls Site Feasibility Study," released by the Department in June, showed possible future construction sites. The report mentions that all parts of the University - including Dining Services - will be affected and involved in any large-scale changes.

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