Hostos Community College in Mott Haven has received a $1.5 million grant from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson to renovate the college’s cafeteria.
According to the borough president’s office, Gibson has “long been a supporter and staunch ally of the College,” a stance which has been reaffirmed by her allocation of funds in the budget to Hostos College for the 2024 fiscal year.
“I am proud to be partnering with Hostos on this important renovation project to further enhance this recreational space in the FY ’24 budget to ensure they get the needed capital funding to provide our students and staff with quality recreational space,” Gibson said. “I want to thank Hostos Community College President Daisy Cocco De Filippis and her entire team for prioritizing our higher Ed community by providing them with a cafeteria all can enjoy and appreciate.”
The cafeteria – which is named the Hostos Cafe – reopened at the beginning of the 2023 spring semester after having closed due to the pandemic. Since its reopening, “the cafeteria has served as a vital community hub, where students, faculty and staff meet to break bread and gather their strength to tackle the day’s challenges,” according to a press release announcing the funding.
However, a recent evaluation conducted by an independent commercial food service company found that only a few of the appliances in the cafeteria are fully functional, Esther Rodriguez-Chardavoyne, senior vice president of administration and finance at Hostos College, told the Bronx Times. In addition, there have been leaks from the kitchen down to the theater below, which will require a wholesale replacement of the flooring.
As such, improvements to the cafeteria include upgrades to flooring and equipment, “most of which dates back to 1994,” Rodriguez-Chardavoyne said. While the full scope of the project is to be determined, the school is also considering updating the furniture in the cafeteria.
All $1.5 million from Gibson’s grant will go toward renovating the cafeteria, according to Rodriguez-Chardavoyne.
The grant is part of a series of capital improvements to the school, many of which have already been completed or are currently underway.
According to Rodriguez-Chardavoyne, Hostos has completed a project to modernize the elevator controls and motor equipment in one building, and the college is currently working on a number of other projects, such as repairing the facade of a building and implementing an emergency generator.
“The renovations made possible by this grant will help to sustain a thriving and very engaged student life that help make the College feel like a second home to our students,” Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis said in the press release. “We are so deeply grateful for the generosity and the continued support of B.P. Gibson, and she is welcome to stop by for lunch anytime!”
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