Caption: An entrance to the University Memorial Center is closed due to construction. (Photo Baylan Wysuph/The Bold)
University Memorial Center under construction through July
By Baylan Wysuph
Major parts of the University Memorial Center at the University of Colorado Boulder are closed due to heavy construction. The project is aimed at improving heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, campus dining services and the pavement between the UMC and the Center for Academic Success building.
The goal is for construction to be completed by July 2026, according to the UMC website, which states these changes are intended to improve safety and enhance overall functionality.
“We work really hard to ensure that campus buildings are well cared for, up-to-date, and meet the needs of CU,” said Deborah Méndez-Wilson, an issues management spokesperson.
The rebuilding process comes with some downsides for the university’s students and faculty. The construction has closed dining areas like the Alfred Packer Grill, where students could use campus meal swipes, and other options like Starbucks, Infinite Pie, Subway and Panda Express.
“If you’re on this side of campus and you want to use your meal swipe, you have to go all the way to the C4C,” said CU student Gerado Cepeda. “It’s pretty far.”
The Center for Community, or C4C, is a dining hall that resides half a mile across campus.
To compensate for the reduced number of dining options, CU Boulder added the “Roaming Ralphie,” a stationary food truck outside the University Club building, roughly 100 yards from the UMC.
“It’s definitely no Alfred Packer, but I think it provides a good stopgap solution,” said CU student Alex Stangel. “For the time that the UMC is closed down, this is as good as it can be.”
During construction, other student amenities like The Connection and the UMC Market will remain open. Both cannot be paid with campus meal swipes and require real money.
For some faculty that work in the UMC, the closure of dining options has unlikely benefits.
“It’s a lot cheaper for me to cook at home,” said Audrey Thames, a division of student life employee at the UMC. “I got really out of the system of cooking while eating here.”
Before shutting down for construction, the building held over 13,500 visitors a day. Now, the only people left working the building are faculty and a small batch of students looking for a quiet place to study.
“The construction is very necessary for safety and efficiency to avoid future impacts,” Méndez-Wilson said. “This will enhance the environment in the dining rooms and enhance the working environment for the staff in the UMC.”
CU Boulder says the UMC will open before the fall 2026 semester.
Edited by Nicholas Merl
