Page 28 - mch0417_Magazine

FOOD SERVICE

USCG Cape Cod Updates

Falcon Deli

o say that the Falcon Deli at USCG Base
TCape Cod in Massachusetts was in need
of a renovation is an understatement.
While the décor was outdated at the 19-year-
old facility, the kitchen at the deli, which is lo-
cated next to the golf course on the base, had
a number of major structural issues. “We had
some structural issues in the floor where there
was actually almost a hole in the floor, some
very spongy areas,” said Tracey Torba, assistant
facility engineer. “We had a partial ceiling issue
where there was about a 6-inch diameter area of
ceiling that was coming down due to condensa-
tion issues with the ductwork. We had broken
tiles in the kitchen floor area.”
Restoring the building’s structural integrity
also created an opportunity to give the deli a
much-needed facelift. “It both structurally and
cosmetically needed an update, but the structural
was the driving force for it,” added Melissa Conlon, supervisory financial manager and tem-
porary Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) director. “I can’t say that the cosmetics of it
prevented customers from coming in, but it wasn’t warm and inviting. We wanted to change
that and give it something new. It was kind of like the old
man’s club stereotype. We wanted to give it more of a fresh look. We wanted to attract some
of the younger crowd, and update it so it is more golf course clubhouse versus the old man’s
club. It was about changing the atmosphere, and updating it for a more current experience
to give it a fresh look.”
When the discussions first began on the need for a renovation, limited funding was a key
obstacle to overcome. “We discussed funding constraints and how we were going to achieve
this project,” said Torba. “We tried to think outside the box of where we could get labor at
a decent price that wouldn’t be the normal contractor charge; and one of my guys, who has
been here for 35 years, mentioned prior projects we had done with a local vocational pro-
gram. They were involved in the original construction in 1998. They were excited to come
Continued on p. 31.

28 MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2017