SUNY Canton's Chaney Dining Center Reopens Following Major Renovations

The remodeled building stands among the college’s greatest recent physical improvements, dramatically augmenting the student experience.

The newly renovated Chaney Dining Center at SUNY Canton has reopened to welcome students with an expanded menu and a completely redesigned dining area.

SUNY Canton’s Chaney Dining Center has undergone a complete transformation. Pictured is the redesigned serving area and some of the new seating arrangements. The college changed the entire interior layout of the historic building.

“I had the pleasure of seeing the completed renovations for the first time when I went over to eat lunch on Friday” said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. “Both floors are truly beautiful. I love the open concept for the serving and dining areas, the gorgeous woodwork, the fantastic views and the great new facilities. I’m so proud of everyone associated with this project and with our food service. I’m looking forward to seeing all of our students enjoying this wonderful new space.”

Chaney is the largest eatery on campus, with numerous cooked-to-order meal selections available on its lower level. The building’s interior has been completely remodeled to create an immersive experience, with new seating arrangements, serving areas and wall treatments.

Kimberly L. Wise, Geniveve L. Hopkins-Betters and Gokul Pisharody eat lunch together on the first day Chaney Dining Center opened. The renovated space has become a campus favorite instantaneously.

“We designed the space to help bring the beauty of our campus and its wonderful natural surroundings into the building,” said College Association Director of Dining Services Susan D. Law. “You’ll see granite stonework incorporated in some of our newest additions and trees are a predominant theme.”

Although the radical construction efforts updated nearly every facet of the building’s interior, the college maintained the historic laminated wood beams and wooden ceiling. Chaney was among the first buildings constructed more than 50 years ago on the hill campus.

A New Menu with Old Favorites

A brand-new food service area welcomes students as they descend into the main dining room. The very first station will serve an expanded breakfast menu featuring cooked-to-order dishes, including eggs and omelets, available through lunchtime. The same station will be used to sauté meals with student-selected ingredients at dinner.

Chaney Dining Center – Upper Level Entrance

Chaney Dining Center staff created a popular waffle bar option while the operation was temporarily housed in Dana Hall’s Alumni Gymnasium during the fall semester. They continue that offering in the new dining center.

There is an area dedicated to special menu options, which will include international meals. Students can continue to suggest recipes to the college’s executive cooking staff.

The college installed two new open brick pizza ovens, where students can watch as staff prepare their flame-cooked pies.

In addition to an enlarged salad bar, the college is expanding its vegan and vegetarian options, with a dedicated cooking station. “We plan to add stuffed Portobello mushrooms and other dishes to our weekly menu,” Law said.

College Association Dining Leader Garret J. Burr pulls a freshly cooked pizza from one of SUNY Canton’s two new brick pizza ovens. The college added a special late-night eatery to the top level of Chaney Dining Center.

The split-level building will be home to a completely new restaurant. The Corner, located near the front entrance in the Pi Nu Epsilon Atrium on the top floor, will offer a smaller selection of food offerings including pizza made in a brick oven and gourmet coffee. It is scheduled to go online in early February.

“We asked students for input on the project,” Law said. “They said they’d like options for later in the evening. The Corner will be open from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.”

Students began eating at the college’s premiere dining days ahead of the semester to accommodate for early arrivals. A grand opening celebration will be held in the future.