the benton cafe | student cafe & lounge
university of connecticut | benton fine arts museum reception & the beanery cafe
Location: Storrs, CT
Size: 3,000 sf
Total Cost: $850,000
Duration: 2013 - 2015
Client: UCONN Dining Services & the Benton Fine Arts Museum
Role: Project Manager, Designer & Construction Administration
Firm: Gregg Wies & Gardner Architects, LLC
Before & After
For roughly 10 years the staff of the Benton Museum had operated a small coffee kiosk that due to a number of circumstances was no longer profitable. The University opted to expand, rebrand, and return the space to a Dining Services operated model.
The project encompassed a new full-service café as well as separate museum reception. Due to the expansion of the café the museum would be losing its existing reception / security desk so a new one was designed within the open stairwell directly off the main museum entrance.
A new full-service café was installed with state-of-the art kitchen equipment, varied seating options (round tables with chairs, high tops that faced the windows, upholstered chairs and sofas), with an area designated for future events equipped with microphone and PA system hookups. Both existing and new furniture was provided in the café lounge and empty walls were maintained to allow some of the museum exhibits to flow into the cafe. Clear separation from café to museum was a major concern to the Museum so it was important that the reception desk be a stand-alone feature.
Design begin early 2013 and construction started late Fall of 2014. The construction schedule was initially intended to be a very compressed 10 weeks but grew into 24 weeks as the project scope increased; the café and museum reception was completed and opened in April 2015.
Museum Reception Desk Design
Furniture & Finishes
