This next phase of construction will feature renovations in Homeplate similar to those currently occurring in Food Court, according to Newlove.
During the spring, the Homeplate dining room and eating area will be closed while they undergo repairs, Newlove said.
Students will no longer enter '53 Commons through the main front entrance, which will be blocked off for construction.
Instead, students will enter either through the handicapped entrances or the side entrance across from the Tucker Foundation, Newlove said.
Available seating areas will include the Food Court dining area, the current upstairs seating and the tables in Tindle Lounge, as well as additional seating in the space that is presently the lobby, according to Newlove.
A third checkout line will be added to Food Court in order to accommodate customers, he said.
The upcoming renovations will not significantly affect DDS employees, according to Newlove. DDS will continue to require the same number of employees including all the student and special needs staff that it currently employs, he said.
"For Spring term, every unit employee gets the same hours and the same schedules, and they will basically be doing the exact same jobs they were doing before," Newlove said. "None of the schedules of the full-time employees will be affected."
DDS employees will prepare food in parts of the newly-constructed kitchens that will feature transparent panels, allowing students to see their food being cooked as they wait in line, Newlove said.
Available entrees from the Food Court grill and Homeplate will be served from one line, according to Newlove.
After renovations are completed this summer, '53 Commons will feature a new hearth oven, "ethnic foods," a bakery, a new salad bar, a panini area and a "fire and ice" station where students can watch their food being prepared, Newlove said.
During the renovations, '53 Commons will continue to provide Kosher and Halal options, which will be offered out of Food Court during the spring, according to Newlove.
Several sections of the current dining hall suffer from outdated insulation and facilities, including a kitchen in Homeplate that dates back to the 1930s, Newlove said.
One of the newly improved features of '53 Commons is the set of windows that act as buffers against the cold, according to Newlove. Prior to the renovations, the wall was freezing cold and a single Dry Air machine was responsible for keeping the entire dining hall warm, he said.
"The new insulation is absolutely amazing," Newlove said.
The Class of 2014 will be the first class since the renovations began to have all the regular dining halls open during its sophomore summer, Newlove said.
"It's all pretty exciting," he said. "The vast majority of the comments [from students] have been very positive."
Several students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they are concerned that the renovations might lead to unmanageable lines and crowds during the Spring term.
Maggie Fleming '13 said she worried that the Homeplate food served at Food Court might be limited in the same way current Kosher offerings are not as varied as the traditional Pavilion options.
Despite her concerns, Fleming said she recognizes that "the school is trying its best to keep the most options open."
Other students said the Food Court setting would be less intimate than the current Homeplate ambiance.
