On Aug. 20 at 6:26 a.m., the Sacred Heart community was notified of a fire on the main floor of 63s and that water from the sprinkler system had spread across the main hallway. 63s and other facilities, including The Market, the Office of Global Education, and the performing arts practice studios, were temporarily closed.
Contributed by Jamie Van Der Merwe, Staff Editor
Resident District Manager of Sacred Heart University (SHU) Dining, Mark Tammone, and his staff were upset by this event, as incoming students were moving in less than a week later. However, Tammone commended his dining staff for the resilience and commitment they presented in such an unprecedented event.
“This team has continuously and tirelessly worked to provide our campus with the exceptional hospitality, care and service it expects and deserves,” said Tammone. “Their dedication and flexibility have been instrumental in supporting our campus and ensuring that our students, faculty and staff continue to feel welcomed and cared for.”
Senior orientation co-chair Matthew Gavagan had come to campus prior to the academic year starting. He and some Orientation Leaders (OLs) had been using 63’s up until the day of the fire.
As soon as 63’s closed, Gavagan said he and his team started going to Linda’s Café and enjoyed the alternative arrangement the dining staff had set up there.
“Linda’s Café flipped from a retail environment that features branded à la carte options to an all-you-care-to-eat dining option,” said Tammone. “This change maintained students’ existing access to utilize their unlimited meal swipes without needing to drain their dining dollars to simply eat.”
This shift involved a delay in offering sushi, a beloved option for students, and several grab-and-go options. However, Tammone added that they brought sushi options to the Library Café while it was unavailable at Linda’s Café—an adjustment that will remain for the foreseeable future.
Tammone also spoke about the other temporary options that were available to students before the grand reopening of 63’s on Saturday, Sept. 5.
“This included using our Big Red n’ Fed food truck with a rotating menu and a specialty outdoor grill menu also rotating daily, both included in a single swipe at Thea’s Abbey,” said Tammone. “SHU Dining provided complimentary coffee and refreshers at the UC Patio daily, and JP’s Diner offered extended mobile ordering hours every day.”
As for Dean of Students Denise Tiberio, she was thankful that no one was injured in the fire. She also praised the quick response of SHU’s emergency personnel to ensure that students were safe.
“What stood out most was how everyone came together with a shared focus on providing the best possible experience,” said Tiberio. “We know that 63’s is a campus favorite, so there is a great deal of excitement as it makes its way back on campus.”
Even with the closing, Tammone made it clear that the team continues to enhance residential dining promotions and specials, offering even more variety and experiences on campus.
“Students will continue to enjoy the same 63’s they know and love,” said Tammone. “Now with the exciting addition of a cook-to-order station available every weekday.”
