La Cucina construction now under way

Thursday, December 10, 1998

La Cucina construction now under way

ASUCLA: Building plans finally meet approval after numerous
delays

By Neal Narahara

Daily Bruin Contributor

A temporary wall has stood around the future site of La Cucina
since early last summer in order to block off the construction – or
lack thereof – from the rest of Ackerman’s Terrace Food Court.

"We’re disappointed they weren’t able to open this fall," said
Terence Hsiao, business development director of the Associated
Students of UCLA (ASUCLA).

According ASUCLA officials, La Cucina was originally scheduled
to open at the beginning of the quarter, concurrently with
neighboring Rubio’s Baja Grill. But construction has been held up,
largely due to problems with the restaurant’s plans.

La Cucina started construction of its new restaurant two weeks
ago when its plans were finally approved, about three months
late.

ASUCLA officials expect La Cucina to open by the beginning of
winter quarter.

According to Hsiao, the delays are primarily due to La Cucina’s
slow response to university required changes to its architectural
plans.

"(The university) has in-house inspectors and precise rules,"
said Joe Rodriguez, general manager of La Cucina in Century City,
where employees are being trained for the UCLA location. "The
original (building) plans had to be changed."

La Cucina’s parent company, New York-based Sbarro, is
experienced at opening franchises, with close to 1,000 locations in
the United States but ran into planning problems with its UCLA
location.

"Its standard operating procedures work everywhere else but
here," Hsiao said.

According to Hsiao, California building codes, particularly
those for UC campuses, are more stringent than what Sbarro is used
to. The La Cucina plans were submitted repeatedly because they did
not comply with codes. According to Hsiao, Sbarro was aware of the
requirements, but it still failed to meet them.

"To be candid, we sent them the specifications," Hsiao said.

Rubio’s ran into similar planning problems but was more
responsive to changing its plans than Sbarro, contributing in part
to its earlier opening, Hsiao said.

To date, the arrangement with La Cucina has not paid off for
ASUCLA.

"We have not been garnering rent from La Cucina (for the past
three months)," said Rich Delia, chief financial officer of
ASUCLA.

According to Delia, La Cucina was budgeted to contribute $13,000
to the students’ association for each of the past three months it
was planned to be open. This $39,000 shortcoming has contributed
greatly to the food service division’s failure to meet budget so
far this year.

Increased sales in the Cooperage have partially made up for the
delayed opening of La Cucina, according to Delia.

La Cucina is a new Italian food vendor developed by mall food
court mainstay Sbarro. It will join Rubio’s and Panda Express as
campus restaurants not owned or operated by the students’
association.

ASUCLA chose to have off-campus vendors, which often have higher
prices than ASUCLA’s own restaurants, take the place of old
Treehouse restaurants because it was less expensive for ASUCLA than
opening its own restaurant.NICOLE MILLER

The opening of La Cucina has been delayed due to contract
disputes.

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