MARQUETTE - "Dorm food" - the barely palatable stuff indigestion is made of for many college students - won't be a problem at Northern Michigan University.

That's because the building trades and general contractor Gundlach-Champion are renovating the university's Quad 1 dining services and adjacent residence hall lobbies. And at $6.6 million, it's one of the largest projects currently on the plate of the U.P. building trades.

"This is a new concept in university dining programs," said Andy Wasilewski, NMU's associate vice president for auxiliary services. "It offers students unlimited dining access from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in an all-you-can-eat venue."

The food will be presented in a marketplace arrangement, with separate stations offering everything from Mongolian Barbecue stir-fry to made-to-order omelets.

Construction began May 1 on the 40,000-square-foot project, which will increase seating capacity in the dining room from 435 to 700, and provide new furniture, flooring, wall coverings, barrier-free access, and a renovated residence hall lobby.

LOCAL 506 pipefitter Ben Eichhorn of Derssler Mechanical grinds a gas line while working at the Northern Michigan University Quad 1 renovation.