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| Hungry for Cafeteria Completion
As Hopkins employees, we've grown accustomed to construction projects. Backhoes, cranes and dirt mounds currently surround the hospital. Although we've learned to take the inconveniences in stride, when construction interrupts our eating routines, patience wears thin. By now, Johns Hopkins Hospital's main cafeteria renovations might have been further along, but—as with most building projects—progress has been slow. The biggest hurdle, says Nutritional Services Director Leo Dorsey, has been the 40-year-old infrastructure, with its inadequate wiring and plumbing. Still, with the first half of the renovations now finished, things are looking up. To whet your appetite, new features will include more seating, vendors and diverse menu choices, from bagels to pulled pork, plus an enormous salad bar. In the spirit of healthy eating, chefs will be on hand to grill chicken to add to a fresh salad of your design. Come April 2008, when the project is expected to be completed, Dorsey says, "it will be a much more appealing and peaceful place to take a break from the daily stress." The renovations cost roughly $3.2 million—money well spent, says Dorsey. "It's the first step in getting our service to match our renowned science." For convenience and faster service, by next summer, students and employees can participate in a cashless payment system called FreedomPay. Designed like EasyPass for highway tolls, it allows members to wave a plastic key tag in front of a scanner at the register. Several entrances to the cafeteria have been closed since mid-November, and patrons must now use the temporary alternative dining space in the doctors' dining room. Dorsey urges patience—something he's had to exercise while working out every last detail, like how to reroute the 2,800 people who pass through the cafeteria every day. Or choosing durable chairs—Dorsey sampled 18 varieties, throwing them down to test their strength. For more updates, see insidehopkinsmedicine.org/cafeteria. Bon appétit! —Judy Minkove
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