In the ’90s, 7th Street Underground used to be a hopping place on-campus, said Mark Bates, graduate assistant for the university union.

Students used to play games and Nintendo. It was also a hot spot to watch the weekend football games and socialize.

Lately the former rathskeller had only been used for weekend comedians and open mic nights.

But Dan Nadler, vice president of student affairs, hopes recent renovations will bring students to “the living room of the campus.”

Last fall brought up conversations about what to do with the space, which was highly underutilized, Nadler said.

As a student project, Bates said student input had a lot to do with renovations.

“What do the students want, and what do we need to get it there,” he said.

Former student body president Ryan Berger was the driving force behind renovations, Bates said. “That was his baby for the entire semester.”

Now the space holds black reclining chairs; silver piping throughout the ceiling; new, brighter lighting; aluminum railings; and gray and blue accents to coincide with Eastern colors.

Yellow caution tape surrounds main stage, shiny from five coats of polyurethane.

The stage hadn’t been redone in years, Nadler said. “We want to make sure it lasts.”

New doors have replaced old beat-up doors. Nadler said the old doors made it look like the university kept hungry Rottweilers in the basement that continuously scratched at the doors.

Changes make the area more attractive for groups to hold meetings. Groups used to hold one meeting at 7th Street, then decide to meet elsewhere, Nadler said.

The old look was “kind of dull and blah,” he said.

But when it was created in 1972, the look was good for the time.

It was designed to look like a rathskeller with a chocolate brown ceiling and pink accents.

The space was dark and dingy with cluttered seating and bulky tables.

Nadler’s anticipating a good result from the renovations.

He hopes this is something the university can have for a long time, he said. The university is putting this idea out there, but doesn’t know how students are going to grab on.

He hopes the appeal of the new cyber lounge will be one of 7th Street’s main attractions.

The lounge, which used to hold overflow from banquets, now has two Apple and three Windows-compatible computers sitting on a stainless steel counter.

Extra-large beanbag chairs are scattered around the carpeting. Three large flat-screen televisions are set up in the space, with a red overstuffed couch, tables and several more chairs.

Nadler said the televisions could be used to watch football games or political debates during election season and have discussions.

The lounge offers wireless Internet, for a place to socialize and study,

Nadler said.

Drywall replaced former paneling slates where student art is now showcased.

Right now, the artwork of Dan Niwa, a senior art education major, is on display. Student artwork will be rotated into those two spots.

The idea is for the lounge to be modern but classy at the same time,

Nadler said, in an attempt to find what’s trendy and what will last.

“We don’t want to do this every three years,” he said. “This, I think, finds a sense of balance.”

But the main thing is to get students into the area, he said.

Much of the project’s cost came from basic maintenance and existing funds.

Money went more toward the furniture and computers.

If students decide this isn’t the best way to utilize the space five years down the road, every piece of furniture can be picked up and moved into a different part of campus, Nadler said.

Student Body President Sean Anderson said the administration has had an open mind about what students want for the area.

“The key thing is that students use it,” he said, adding that if this happens, there’s the potential to develop the area even more.

An open house will be Wednesday, Sept. 6 from noon to 1 p.m.

The grand opening for 7th Street Underground will be Wednesday, Sept. 13.

A luncheon for invited guests is from noon to 1 p.m. It’s open to the rest of campus from 1 p.m. until close at 11 p.m. After that, the facility is open during regular union hours.

“It’ll amaze you, I think,” said Cathy Engelkes, deputy director of the union.

With all the construction around campus, Vice Pesident of Student Affairs, Dan Nadler, hopes that the 7th Street Underground relives its glory days from the 1990s’ which is re-opening on Wednesday September 6, 2006.John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News

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