During much of the 2018-19 academic year, construction on the Uris Addition kept the room closed to the public as the restrooms were completely gutted, a new all-gender restroom built, extensive re-wiring and retrofitting of study rooms added, a new vending area installed, lighting upgraded, carpeting replaced, and a card-access entrance rebuilt. Just in time for graduation in 2019, the ribbon was cut and students could enjoy the completely overhauled space.

Opening up the south entrance facing Willard Straight required a complete regrading to allow ADA access. The access was fully re-landscaped with new lighting, and the area leading to the entrance equipped with an in-ground heating system to prevent ice and snow from accumulating outside the entrance. A card swipe machine was also installed to allow students to use their ID cards to enter any time of the day or night. For the first time since it opened in 1982, the south entrance began to function as a working entry point, and it was ADA compliant.

New furniture, chosen by students, now has a distinctly modern look and meets contemporary needs as determined by students. It is generally task-oriented, but comfortable, offering a range of options for individual preferences. Seating has been arranged to take advantage of the stunning views that so inspired the designs of the original architect, Gunnar Birkerts. Electricity is much easier to access, when and where it’s needed, and lighting is much better suited to contemporary tasks, now rearranged into areas of the space that correspond to twenty-first century student working habits, in which laptops figure prominently (and were not even present in 1982). Reservable study rooms include task furniture and large monitors for plug-and-play group work.

The Cocktail Lounge now happily operates 24/7, welcoming a new generation of students into its comfortable surroundings, where they still marvel at the view, study hard, and perhaps catch a few Zs. We hope they’ll remember fondly their time spent here for years to come.

Cornell Daily Sun article: After Semester-Long Hiatus, Cocktail Lounge Reopens with a New Entrance and Updated Design (14 Aug. 2019)