For the people who work and study in Park Hall, the Signature Caf?(c) has become a staple of campus life.
Nestled in the first floor atrium of Park - the home of UB's departments of history, sociology, psychology and political science - the caf?(c) is usually crowded with people drinking coffee, studying or just talking with friends.
So when the denizens of Park discovered a plan to close the caf?(c), their surprise and disappointment were only matched by their drive to keep it open.
And due to the efforts of the Park Hall community, UB officials have now changed their minds about the move.
"In retrospect we found that the Park Hall caf?(c) is very important to the people there, so we are going to amend the proposal to the business community to include keeping the facility at Park," said Mitch Green, director of the Faculty Student Association and campus dining.
Officials originally planned to move the eatery because a second caf?(c) is scheduled to open in the new Alfiero Center at Jacobs Hall. Since Jacobs and Park Halls are right next to each other, Green said some thought there wouldn't be enough business for both.
Paul Luce, chair of the psychology department, visits the caf?(c) "at least once or twice a day," and said he was dismayed to find out about the planned move. He and other faculty protested the decision through letters to FSA.
"We understand there is a business aspect," Luce said. "But it has been so much more. This is a Park Hall institution. It's the history of the space and the way it's been transformed. Now there is a real feeling of community in Park Hall."
Luce said although the Signature Caf?(c) has only been in the space for about three years, there have been other caf?(c)s in the space for much longer. He remembers the atrium before the addition of a coffee shop.
"Having a caf?(c) in the atrium has really transformed the space. Before that it was always cold and empty. Now students go there to study and faculty from different departments can get together for informal meetings. I know I've seen students from my classes studying there and I've been able to help them with questions they might have."
Luce said he wished he and other faculty had been told about the plans to move the caf?(c), rather than finding out about it from a sign on the third floor of Park.
According to Green, the concerns of community members like Luce are exactly why the decision to move the caf?(c) has been scrapped.
"We try to listen to our customers whenever possible," Green said.
Jane Armbruster, assistant dean and senior director of development in the School of Management, headed fundraising efforts for the Alfiero Center, where the new caf?(c) will be opened. Armbruster said she didn't know about the Signature Caf?(c)'s closing, but a caf?(c) was included in the plans due to requests from faculty and students.
"We as a school felt (a caf?(c)) was an important amenity to provide for our students," Armbruster said. "It was a part of the plan like everything else we felt was important to our students. We did feasibility surveys with faculty and students to see what they thought should be included in the new building, and that was one of the things they requested."
The Signature Caf?(c)'s owner, Don Murcko, has run his coffee shops in Park Hall and the Ellicott Complex for three years and says he does "fantastic business" in Park Hall.
"The best part of the job is the people you meet at the university and on campus. Everyone is here to learn and grow. People are more passionate about everything from their classes to their coffee," Murcko said.
Michael Farrell, the chair of sociology, also called the caf?(c) an important part of the Park Hall community.
"Ray Oldenburg wrote about great good places," Farrell said. "He said that caf?(c)s, bars, and hair salons are becoming the heart of the community. This caf?(c) has become a great good place and the heart of Park Hall's community."
Murcko, whose three-year contract with the FSA ends this semester, is among other businesses placing bids to run the new Jacobs Center caf?(c). Murcko said he hopes to continue operating his Signature Caf?(c) on UB's campus.
The student body also came out in support of keeping the Signature Caf?(c).
"It's a nice place to come and relax," said Lisa Illowsky, a senior math major, who frequents the caf?(c) nearly every day. "It's convenient because I walk through here every day on my way home."
Don Zaleski, a graduate MBA student, said he enjoys the Signature Caf?(c), but the new one might be more convenient.
"It doesn't really matter to me where I go," he said. "I just enjoy having a spot nearby."
With Murcko's contract ending this semester, Luce said he hopes some sort of business remains in the space.
"This area is something special in Park Hall," Luce said. "There are five departments in this building and this space gives us all a chance to see each other and create closer ties. What's the damage in leaving this facility open?"
