Students in the Humanities Building have only two choices when hunger strikes: Trek to one end of the campus for The Manhattan or campus deli, or brave the streets and find comfort in food like McDonald’s.

But by the end of fall, EC will have a new Humanities Mall to make things easier on students near the Humanities Building.

“The idea behind this is that we are going to have a food court in every area on campus,” Ann Garten, director of community relations, said.

On April 20, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Humanities Mall that will be built in the vacant area between the Schauerman Library and the Humanities Building, took place.

The Humanities Mall will make it easier for students to find someplace to relax without the hassle of traveling across campus.

“It will provide more seating, more atmosphere, and better features,” Tom Brown, assistant director of facilities and planning, said.

This new food court for the north side of EC will be about 1,750 square feet and provide food for the north side of campus with better service and a large variety of things to offer. This is substaintially larger than any food service area on campus, Brown said.

Construction costs are expected to come in just under $3 million.

It is expected that the new Humanities Mall will be done before the spring 2010 semester begins, Brown said.

“(Because of the economy) construction costs have actually gone down,” Brown said.

The Humanities Mall will offer a variety of seating for students who just want to study or hang out. It will also offer free Wi-Fi Internet connection to students.

Brown said construction will minimally affect students ability to attend classes as they plan to do most of the construction during times of low student enrollment.

“There will be very minimum delays. Most of the work will be done during summer,” Bruce Hoerning, director of facilities and planning, said.

Being able to build the new Humanities Mall is the result of Measure E, Garten said.

Measure E allows community colleges $4 million in bond funds that can only be used for improving and building new facilities.

By adding this new food court, it should provide a great new luxury to students and provide a new place to hang out, eat and relax.

“This really offers another service to students. It’s an amenity to serve our students better,” Garten said.