RIT’s Global Village Officially Opens its Doors to the World Sept. 30

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Jonathan Foster/ETC Photography

Global Village, RIT’s $57 million international-themed retail and residential complex, officially opens Sept. 30.

After nearly two years of planning and construction on the west side of the Rochester Institute of Technology campus, the RIT and local communities will celebrate the official opening of Global Village.

The festivities begin at 3 p.m. Sept. 30 at the complex situated between Crossroads and the University Services Center near the Center for Student Innovation. The grand opening program will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, entertainment and tours of the complex.

The $57 million project takes the shape of a European courtyard complete with an international market, Mexican cantina and fresh sushi bar. Global Village’s 414-bed student residences feel more like an upper-Manhattan hotel with décor reminiscent of regions from around the world, and provide upper-class students with a state-of-the-art global living experience. Supporting the global and entrepreneurial missions of RIT, Global Village provides resources that prepare students to enter the global community and culturally diverse work force including educational programming, unique activities and an international living environment representing regions from around the world—East Asia, the Middle East, Central Europe and Central America.

Other unique aspects of the complex include heated outdoor seating, a beach volleyball court, water feature, outdoor fire pit and ice-skating rink and a performance area with a stage. The Global Village courtyard also includes 28,000 square feet of heated pavement to increase usability in winter.

In addition to new dining options, the complex features a hair salon, post office, wellness center, art gallery, and a soon-to-be-added sports outfitter. Due to the global nature of the project, RIT’s Study Abroad and Fellowships office has relocated to Global Village, along with Global Initiatives and Programs, Native American Future Stewards Program and the Entrepreneurial Center.

RIT’s Global Village—At a Glance
Cost: $57 million
Project Size: 182,271 gross square feet
Retail space: Approximately 24,000 square feet of commercial and retail space
Contractors: ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, architectural, planning and interior design firm specializing in educational, science, sports and corporate facilities, and SWA Group, specializing in landscape architecture, urban design and planning.