New Dining Area Coming to GFA
By Briana Gomez ‘26
Expected to complete in September, 2023 the new GFA Lower School Cafeteria will act as a new hub for grades K-4.
More formally referred to as the Lower School Dining Room Commons, the space will not only be used for lunch, but will also be a prime location for community building, clubs, activities, and more. Expected to be finished by the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, the new lower school cafeteria will serve as a place that will encourage students to socialize and build friendships at an early age.
“This new addition to the school will take away an almost rushed experience,” said Head of School, Bob Whelan. “Especially for the lower school students, it is important to take advantage of any teaching opportunity there is. An additional ten minutes will be reserved for students to help around the cafeteria, being given jobs by their teachers that encourage them to work together and accomplish a common goal.”
With the rapid growth of more contemporary buildings sprouting up around campus, GFA made sure to honor the Vanderbilt Mansion and remain consistent to its style. “[The lower school has this] French countryside, beauty and the beast look,” remarked Whelan. “It was really important to us that we not take away that sort of magic.”
Over the course of the next few months, we will begin to see more visual progress of this cafeteria like, for example, the trusses that will most likely be expected in March of 2023.
This new space highlights what GFA is all about: community and team-building. The addition of this new building will not only accentuate these values, but also strengthen the community.
Rendering of the interior of the new Lower School Cafeteria
