Nestled beside the shore of Lake Michigan, the Norris University Center has long served as a social hub for thousands of students at Northwestern’s Evanston campus.
Behind the building’s revolving doors, students do classwork and order smoothies on the first floor, and socialize over quick-serve food options on the ground floor. Soon, though, they might be ordering themselves beers on the East lawn.
A year ago, NU announced plans to construct the Cohen Lawn, a recreational space at Norris that will feature a stage for performances, a rooftop patio and a full-service pub for students to connect and mingle.
With the performance stage already built, the entire project is expected to be completed by this summer.
While NU’s Common Data Set reports 50% of undergraduates live on campus, the site is intended to be a gathering space not just for campus residents, but for the entire Evanston community, according to Kevin Meier, NU’s associate director of health promotion and wellness.
Meier said a campus-owned bar may be a move toward a healthier drinking culture at the University.Although the pub would make alcohol more readily accessible to NU students of age, he said its social atmosphere may create a safer and more controlled environment than what students may already be engaging with.
He added the pub will focus on fostering community rather than earning a profit.Beyond impacting the campus culture, having an accessible and centralized social spot could mean more foot traffic to Norris, and less to other Evanston establishments.
Executive Director of Downtown Evanston Andy Vick is optimistic that restaurants will adapt to any initial challenges in keeping their college-age customers.
“If (restaurants) do it well and do it right, (they’re) going to pull a big crowd, whether there’s a bar on campus or not,” Vick said.
He said he hopes students continue to take advantage of the great spots the town has to offer, even after the NU pub opens its doors.
Vick added that an essential part of the college student experience is exploring places off-campus.
“Sure, go get a beer at Norris Center,” Vick said. “But at the same time, I invite you to take a few extra steps … and see what the Evanston community is like.”
One Evanston brewpub, Double Clutch Brewing Company, estimates roughly 20% of its customers are associated with NU. Rather than viewing the on-campus pub as competition, General Manager Steve Milford said it is an exciting opportunity for collaboration.
Milford said Double Clutch has spoken to people at the University to express interest in selling Double Clutch beer in the Norris pub. He called it a “work in progress.”
“They know our wants,” Milford said.
Initially taken aback when he heard about the construction of the NU pub, McCormick freshman Pranav Neupane said he now sees the pub’s potential to be a centralized social space for students.
“When I think of ‘pub,’ I also think of meeting new people and connecting,” Neupane said.
Neupane isn’t the only one who thinks students could benefit from a centralized social spot.
Weinberg senior Lucas Saidenberg said most older students unwind at each other’s houses, mainly due to a lack of hang-out spots for students in downtown Evanston. To him, an on-campus spot means somewhere students are “always invited to, no matter what.”
Saidenberg added that as long as the school can organize events that keep students coming to the lawn, its established locus in campus will be a major factor in its potential success.
“The fact that it’s within Norris is really impactful,” Saidenberg said. “Norris is the place.”
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