You’ve seen the tractors and the piles of dirt behind the chain link fences, but what’s really going on with the Lory Student Center?

The campus’ central building will be majorly renovated to improve its food court and culture centers. The construction will add an additional 40,000 square feet to the building.

While parts of the LSC are under construction at the moment, the entire building will be shut down for major revitalization at the end of the spring semester. Affected offices will be shut down and relocated starting May 20, just after commencement according to Mike Ellis, the executive director of the LSC. From that day forward, construction will progress in one big push through 2014.

On closing day, there will be a Native American Ground Blessing Ceremony according to an email from Tony Pang, the assistant director of the LSC. The ceremony is hosted by the Native American Cultural Center and the LSC Executive Director’s office.

The event takes place from 8 to 9 a.m. with special guest Doug Goodfeather at the eastern entrance of the LSC.

The primary renovation area is LSC Central — the area from the building’s theatre to its northern edge.

Only the northern end will have any access for the public, with several student stores and resources remaining open during construction.

According to Doni Luckutt, the director of marketing for the LSC, the Ramskeller, bookstore, flea market, Transit Center, Recycled Cycles, Cam’s Lobby Shop and Bagel Place 2 will be open throughout the revitalization.

“The Ramskeller will be relocated during the renovation to the Student Center North, just down the hallway from Bagel Place 2,” Ellis wrote in an email to the Collegian.  “The Aspen Grille in the University Club will also remain open.”

Services in the renovation zone will be moved to various locations including the Mac Gym, the Drake Center on College and even to the other end of the LSC.

A complete list of relocations can be found at lsc.colostate.edu.

Extensive plans are in place to compensate for the closing of restaurants in LSC Central.

According to Luckutt, there will be several food trucks that are prepared to accept RamCash. T-DEX will be converted into “T-LEX” and the entire building — which is completely mobile — will be rolled between the LSC and Morgan Library.

Additionally, a Spoons location will be added to A-wing in the Clark building and a Subway will join Clark this coming fall.

According to Sweet Sinsations supervisor Madison Puhl, the coffee shop’s primary location will close. However, there will be a coffee cart in the Transit Center and a new coffee shop located at the Rec Center.

“We’re working hard to make things accessible for students,” Luckutt said.

According to Luckutt, the renovation is ahead of schedule. If all goes according to plan, the LSC will reopen fall of 2014.

“The prize at the end of the rainbow will be amazing,” Luckutt said.

Collegian Writer Mariah Wenzel can be reached at news@collegian.com.