Charleston Southern University plans $5M dining hall renovation

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston Southern University announced its campus dining hall and student center will undergo a $5 million renovation this summer.

Officials say the project is scheduled from May to August 2025, and will modernize the 18,000 square foot facility providing updated technology, stylish seating, sustainability, themed food stations, and expanded menu.

“This is a strategic investment in the most popular gathering place on campus,” said CSU President B. Keith Faulkner. “It’s convenient location will now feature even more opportunities for our students, faculty, staff, and guests to fellowship, learn, and serve in a modern space. We have made intentional steps in planning, from navigation and aesthetics to menu options, that will make dining an even more enjoyable and enhanced experience for our campus.”

The university is collaborating with Aramark, the university’s dining service provider.

Officials say the most notable changes will include the removal of the stairs to a mezzanine in the dining hall, enclosing the mezzanine with glass, and expanding the space in the Student Center’s Buc Shop to include additional seating.

“On behalf of the student body, I can confidently say that we are excited to see this space rejuvenated and once again become an area where the whole CSU community can gather and fellowship together,” Elizabeth England, CSU’s student body president, said. “The changes in both seating and layout will provide updates that students have been asking for and SGA has long advocated for, enabling this space to serve us best.”

The renovation is scheduled to take 100 days, aiming for completion before students return in the fall.