Oct. 6, 2022

A renovation of Augustana University’s Morrison Commons will include a new Chick-fil-A location.

The building, located on Commons Drive and connected to the Edith Mortenson Center, is more than 60 years old.

“We needed to upgrade our dining facility,” Shannan Nelson, Augustana CFO and executive vice president, said in a statement. “So we’re renovating that whole lower level of the commons, and then we’re going to give the upper level a facelift.”

Renderings by Koch Hazard Architects

Renovations to the lower level of the commons will mean relocating Ole’s Outlet — Augustana’s merchandise store — to the northeast corner of the building. Nelson said he hopes the renovation will create a new retail experience for students and staff, and become a revenue-driver for the university.

The final layout of the lower level is being determined, but it will include a common seating area and the addition of Chick-fil-A, which has a partnership with Sodexo, Augustana’s food service and facilities management partner. Sodexo will operate it, and students can work there. A refreshed SubConnection sandwich shop also is being considered and would be moved to the southwest end of the building.

“We were exploring commercial partners that we thought would add the greatest value and benefit, plus brand recognition and student recruitment to our campus. We’ve been able to work that out with Chick-fil-A,” Nelson said. “We’re pretty excited about what that will mean for campus.”

There also are Chick-fil-A locations at SDSU and USD, as well as the University of Minnesota and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

The public will be able to go to the Chick-fil-A and other businesses inside Morrison Commons, making this the second location in Sioux Falls for the restaurant. It opened a year ago at Empire Place in front of The Empire Mall.

As part of the renovation, the original location of the Morrison Commons stairwell — in the center of the concourse, east of where the Starbucks exists today — will create an open area that also will serve as a “stage” for student programming surrounded by a new lounge area.

“What’s really exciting is when you look through the glass,” Nelson said. “We’re going to bring stairs back to their original location.”

The “Back Alley” will still be used as a sort of back alley, providing additional space for students to host events. The plan includes creating “pockets” of smaller meeting spaces, which also can be opened up for larger gatherings.

“I really like the flex student programming space,” Dean of  Students Mark Blackburn said when initially engaging student leaders regarding the plan this summer. “I think about orientation, Welcome Week, the Friday night pieces. I think about UBG (the Union Board of Governors). How can we utilize this space where we can best serve the students?”

To make room for the addition of the original stairwell, the Starbucks will be relocated to the southeast portion of the commons where the department of campus safety is now. Nelson described a walk-up window where students will be able to order coffee, as well as an outside patio area. 

The Ordal Dining Hall, which overlooks the newly renovated campus green, will remain on the upper level and get a refresh as well. As part of the renovation, serving lines will act more as “stations,” one or two that are permanent and one or two that rotate every day. Sodexo will soon survey students to make sure they have a say in what food options are offered.

“Is it pizza? Is it vegan? You know, what would they like these stations to be?” Nelson said.

“We’re asking Sodexo to refresh the seating. We’re going to try to eliminate the cafeteria-style feel and open it up. It won’t just be all tables and chairs. It will be more casual. Students can then go to a station and choose to sit upstairs, downstairs, wherever.”

Augustana is hoping that providing students with these kinds of options will continue to drive enrollment — part of Augustana’s strategic plan to recruit more than 3,000 students on campus by 2030, its leaders said.

Koch Hazard Architects is the designer on the project, and Mortenson is the general contractor. Renovations are estimated at between $7 million and $8 million, will start in January and are scheduled to be done by fall.