Fall 2012 - Villanova University

facility drew 682 entries, with WilliamO’Connor ’14 COE providing the winningmoniker. Café Nova will feature five differentfood “concepts,” including oldfavorites from the Italian Kitchen andCorner Grill, along with kiosks that willallow students to customize their foodorders, a wood stone hearth in the kitchenwhere fresh pizza dough will be preparedand a green serving concept where allfood packaging will be compostable—from straws to plates to “to go” containers.“The Facilities Management Officeand the design team were able to movethe entire serving area into the formerCorner Grill dining room, opening upvery attractive seating space that overlooksthe new ellipse in the center ofcampus,” says Timothy Dietzler, FMP, ’82VSB, director of Dining Services.“The look is a little bit retro—woodtable tops and stainless steel chairs,” saysMarilou Smith, senior project manager,Facilities Management. “At Villanovawe try to design new facilities to be traditionalyet transitional, so they will last awhile without looking dated. Café Novais designed to stand the test of time.”A dream come trueStudent-centric initiatives include upgradingathletics facilities. For Villanovato compete at the highest levels of DivisionI competition and provide the bestpossible student-athlete experience, itsathletic facilities must be top quality.It is part of Villanova’s commitment tosecuring the future of the University.The Villanova rowing program hasoperated for years out of a leased warehousein Conshohocken, Pa., with rowerscarrying boats 200 yards to the SchuylkillRiver. The scrappy program has producedOlympic, World and US National medalists,including Olympic gold medalistWilliam Knecht ’51 A&S, World silvermedalist Megan Walsh ’06 CON andWorld bronze medalist Hannah MooreGodfrey ’01 A&S.In 1998 Godfrey and her Villanovateammates won a national championship.“In second place was Radcliffe,and in third was Princeton—schoolswith amazing, beautiful boathouses,” sherecalls. Godfrey later represented theA movable mural wall, in use from 1954 until 1985, was found preserved in the ItalianKitchen’s wall during the renovation and is now a prominent feature of Café Nova.Villanova RowingCelebration Oct. 27;Open House Oct. 28The Villanova Athletic Fund aimsto raise a total of $1.75 million for anew 15,000-square-foot boathouse.The property purchase was fundedby the University; the boathousewill cost $1.5 million; and there willbe a maintenance endowment of$250,000. Naming opportunitiesare available.Villanova Rowing will host a celebrationfor the men’s and women’sprograms Saturday, Oct. 27, at thePhiladelphia Marriott West in Conshohocken,Pa. Tickets are $75 perperson. On Sunday, Oct. 28, therewill be an open house at the currentboathouse. For more details, pleaseemail George.Kolb@villanova.edu.United States at three World Championshipsand the Pan American Games.A real boathouse would honor VillanovaRowing’s past accomplishmentswhile raising its competitive level andattracting the best student-athletes, saysVince Nicastro, director of Athletics.It would also give rowing alumni apermanent connection to VillanovaRowing, says Siobhan Walsh ’99 A&S,who, with Brian McDonald ’98 COE,is spearheading fundraising for a boathouse.“It would be a dream cometrue for the athletes, and for alumni aphysical symbol of our stewardship ofthe program.” Hidden treasureAs the old dining facility on thesecond floor of Dougherty Hallwas transformed into the newCafé Nova, contractors uncovereda piece of Villanova history.Tucked deep inside a wall cavitywas a rolled-up wooden door.On it was a mural depicting Villanovaathletes painted by WillardBorow (1918-1988) a Philadelphia-born,nationally recognizedmuralist known for creatingvibrant, bold murals for notablebuildings in both Philadelphiaand Washington, D.C. From 1954until 1985, the mural had servedas a dividing wall between thePie Shop and the Day Hop.It was an exciting find, accordingto Marilou Smith, seniorproject manager, FacilitiesManagement. “My guess is therolling system on the dividingwall broke at some point, and themural was left in the wall cavity,”she says. “We thought it wouldbe great for Café Nova.”The mural depicts Villanovaathletes in different sports—allmale, since the University was anall-male school when the muralwas painted. Proving that everythingold is new again, the retrofind is now on display on the wallof the new Café Nova.“It brings elements of theold into the new space,” Smithsays. “It’s part of the history ofVillanova.”villanova.edu 17