The renovations were part of a $585,000 gift from the Moody Foundation to fund extensive renovations.
The renovations to Texas Tech University's Skyviews Restaurant and its new logo were unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony held at the restaurant today (April 5).
Skyviews Restaurant took significant steps forward serving its clients and students, thanks to a $585,000 gift from the Moody Foundation that funded extensive renovations for the restaurant. This marks the largest gift to Texas Tech from the Moody Foundation.
Founded in 1942 by W.L. Moody Jr. and Libbie Shearn Moody, the Moody Foundation is the largest philanthropic foundation in the state of Texas. The generous gift provided the student-run restaurant and lab with a much-needed makeover.
“The transformation of Skyviews into an elegant space that reflects the spectacular views from our sixth story location in the Texas Tech Plaza tower would not have been possible without the generous support of the Moody Foundation,” said Robert P. Jones, chair of the Department of Hospitality and Retail Management. “The Moody Foundation gift provided the initial funding that, through matching and other support, generated approximately $1.3 million needed to complete this renovation.”
Among the most notable changes made to Skyviews was in the dining area. A new, fixed buffet line with advanced heating and cooling equipment has been added, designed to follow the angles of the new and existing architecture of the building. New light-weight furniture with chair-stacking abilities have been added to accommodate various party sizes and improve ease of movement.
Along with the new buffet line and furniture, extensive changes were made to the dining room ceiling. It now includes varying heights and material intended to break up space, ultimately stepping toward dining area windows and guiding the restaurant goers toward the view.
However, not all changes were designated to the dining room. The Skyviews kitchen area has been expanded and brought to the current standards required of Lubbock restaurants. The expansion also will allow for more functional workflow for both staff and students, including added support for the Skyviews Pizza Kitchen.
“The pandemic and the renovation have been hard on students who need real-world expertise to complete their degree and to be ready for their careers once they graduate,” Jones said. “The team at Skyviews, Executive Chef Jason Lindley and General Manager Gary Danhof, have worked tirelessly to find ways to provide that experience. They operated Skyviews and a quick pick-up kiosk in the Human Sciences building last fall and started the Skyviews Pizza Kitchen this spring. We are all excited to finally show off the new Skyviews and welcome the public to come dine with us again.”
Jones also added that he, along with faculty, staff and students, are excited to open Skyviews' doors to the community once again. While the grand opening of the restaurant will be celebrated during the fall semester, the ribbon-cutting and new Skyviews logo symbolize the next chapter for the restaurant.
“We still have a few elements to complete, so we will hold off on our grand opening until the fall,” Jones said. “We are excited to begin serving our guests again in our fantastic new space and to having big celebration this fall. Skyviews is looking great and is ready to serve the Lubbock community again.”
