Constructed in 1970, the original Croatan building was designed for quick self-service dining.1 By August of 1991, internal renovations transformed the “snack-bar” service-style facility to one that sold hot meals. The changes, which doubled seating capacity, allowed student to purchase made-to-order sandwiches, burgers, chicken, side salads, and French fries.2
In November of 2008, ECU announced that the Croatan building, consisting of fewer than 6,000 square feet and serving approximately 3,000 people every day, would be demolished and replaced by a two-story, 18,000 square-foot building.3 Demolition began in June of 2009 amidst other dining services upgrades to the Wright Place.4 The Croatan, is ECU’s first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building, meaning that the building was designed to: lower operating costs and increase asset values, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, be healthier and safer for occupants, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives.5
- Other names
- Auxiliary Student Supply Store, Soda Shop
- Built
- 1970
- Construction cost
- $237,000
- Gross sq. ft.
- 5,842
- Assignable sq. ft.
- 4,228
- Architects
- Haskins & Rice
- Namesake
- It has been said that this building was built over an Indian graveyard of the Croatan tribe native to eastern North Carolina. An Indian priest visited the site to perform a ritual before construction began. They believed that the ghosts of the Indians were pleased in having the building named after their tribe.
- History
- The original Soda Shop was built in the summer of 1946. It was an addition to the Dining Hall as described in the following press release:
Greenville, July 1946 — A large lobby adjacent to the post office and dining halls of East Carolina Teachers College is being converted into a modernistic soda shop. Work on the project already is under way and is expected to be completed during the summer, F.D. Duncan, treasurer, has announced.
Mr. Duncan also stated that the terrace between the dining halls will be landscaped and an outdoor court provided for soda shop patrons during hot weather. The soda shop will be well-lighted, roomy, and will be equipped with a new soda fountain if one can be procured.
The current Croatan was built during the 1969/70 school year. Containing approximately 5,842 square feet of space this modern brick, self-service snack shop is located on the eastern side of campus, close to Brewster and A.J. Fletcher buildings. It is operated by the Student Supply Store.
- Additions
- 1990-91 – roof repairs
1991 – renovations from a snack bar to serving hot meals and sandwiches
Sources
1 “Snack Shops Fill Student’s Needs,” Fountainhead, Vol. 5, No. 27, 17, January 1974Josh Humphries, “New ECU dining hall is going green,” The Daily Reflector, Thursday, November 26, 2009, http://ncprojectgreen.com/Newspaper%20Reprints/ECUgoinggreen.pdf;
2 “Renovations are completed,” The East Carolinian, Vol. 65, No 42. August 29, 1991.
3 “Trustees delay a vote on undergraduate tuition, fees,” ECU News Services, Nov. 21, 2008, http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/newsstory.cfm?ID=612; Josh Humphries, “New ECU dining hall is going green,” The Daily Reflector, Thursday, November 26, 2009, http://ncprojectgreen.com/Newspaper%20Reprints/ECUgoinggreen.pdf.
4 Jeannine Manning Hutson, “ECU renovations, construction under way this summer,” Pieces of Eight, June 15, 2010, http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/poe/2010/610/construction.cfm.
5 “What is LEED,” East Carolina University, http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/campus_operations/sustainability/LEED.cfm; Josh Humphries, “New ECU dining hall is going green,” The Daily Reflector, Thursday, November 26, 2009, http://ncprojectgreen.com/Newspaper%20Reprints/ECUgoinggreen.pdf.
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