The wRECk Center has extended its operating hours to accommodate Wichita State students’ desire for more places to “hang out” due to the Rhatigan Student Center construction.

Shelly Martins, RSC director of marketing, said the center, now located on the second floor, opens two hours earlier and is now open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The hours that food is for sale remain the same, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. 

“We’re happy to serve students’ needs out of the class—a home away from home,” Martins said.

This gives them more options, times and places to socialize and study during the RSC renovation, she said.

More seating and dining choices in the RSC will not become available until mid-September when Chick-Fil-A, Fast Break, Masala Asian Grill and Taco Bell are to reopen. The food court seating area will reopen at the same time. Pizza Hut opens again in October.

“We’re really working hard to get the food option open,” Martins said. “That’s priority one.”

David Casida, general manager of university dining services, said a hot dog stand, Wu’s Weenie Wagon, has been placed near Ablah Library, Jardine Hall and Lindquist Hall to give students the chance to eat on the run.

“We intend for it to be permanent,” he said. 

Another cart with barbecue beef and pork is to be added soon at the same location, Casida said. 

“We’re considering a vegetarian option,” he said. “We bought them and will utilize them as long as students utilize them.”

Casida expects the carts to stop serving once it gets too cold and start again when it gets warm enough next spring.

The cart’s hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, weather permitting.

The spaces known as the Fireplace Lounge and Shocker Square will not reopen next month and neither will the art gallery, the first-floor restrooms or the stairwell next to the restrooms, Martins said. It may be one year before they do. Restrooms are only available on RSC’s second floor.

The north entrance into the RSC will open in mid-September, allowing people to walk through to the food court, seating and the bookstore, she said. The northwest entrance will remain closed.

“That’s the next big thing coming,” Martins said.

Overall, the construction project is progressing well.

“For the massive undertaking this construction project is, things have gone remarkably smooth,” she said. 

Jim Herrman, RSC director, said the only problems occurred when two natural gas lines that were originally connected to residential houses were cut. Also, an exhaust hood in the kitchen of the food court needed to be modernized to meet current building codes.

“The duct that goes through the room needed to be updated,” he said.

Martins said some minor glitches are to be expected.

“That’s what happens when you’re renovating a building that’s old,” she said. “It’s a building that was built before today’s (building) codes.”

Martins said the RSC administration has scheduled an event to attract students to tour the RSC, “RSC–U–Now,” a self-guided tour, is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. 

“There’s still a lot of students who assume we’re closed,” she said. “We want the students to understand we are open.”

Martins said ice cream, popcorn and a limited supply of T-shirts will be given away, and the bookstore will be giving free spa treatments to those who make appointments before Thursday. Representatives of student organizations will be on-hand to answer questions.

She said a tour of the area under construction will be scheduled for late September. A specific date has not been set.