The Hamden Planning and Zoning Committee approved Quinnipiac University’s 1,600-square-foot expansion to the old bookstore space that is set to become an extension of the dining space in the Carl Hansen Student Center.
These renovations are part of the university’s Planned Development District. But it needs PZC approval before any work can be done.
Quinnipiac relocated the bookstore to the North Lot before the start of the spring 2026 semester.
This is simply approval for the expansion and no other confirmed plans have been released.
Salvatore Filardi, vice president of capital planning, said the request for expansion comes from the university’s desire to expand dining options for students.
According to Filardi, Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellet and Provost Debra Liebowitz, there are rumors of a new “all-you-care-to-eat” buffet and a new swipe system — something that has been requested by students for quite some time.
However, Ellet stresses that these plans are purely speculation, as both he and Filardi have stated that there is no official plan in place at this time.
Information shared at a PZC meeting in January strongly indicates the addition of a new dining facility, buffet or not.
The expansion “will accommodate seating for 222 students and include a larger kitchen to support expanded food service,” according to an article by Patch.
Additionally, approval from the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority for two new grease traps is still pending, further supporting the idea of a new dining facility.
Any and all changes to the old bookstore space have yet to be confirmed, something which Filardi hopes will change in the near future.
Howard Pfrommer, an engineer of Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, said that the campus’s current infrastructure will be able to support the expansion.
This would also allow for the remodel of the loading dock located behind the old bookstore space, as the expansion is designated for the back of the space.
This is part of a long list of other expansions and campus improvements that Quinnipiac is looking to make over the summer, according to Liebowitz.
