Better latte than never, Green Dragon is back this semester. The architecture students’ staple is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m.
The new Green Dragon is located in the Milstein Hall annex, a short walk from its original location. The entrance can be found by walking from the arts quad to the back of Milstein and down a set of stairs. With a sign that reads “Dragon Annex,” the new café has an industrial look, wires hanging from the ceiling and tables spread out across the space.
In Spring 2024, students petitioned to save the student café, which faced closure due to renovations to Sibley Dome. Employees and frequent café goers worried that the loss of the café would eliminate a vital space for architecture students to relax and study and a hub for inclusivity and creativity.
Peter Yacoub ’25, a Green Dragon barista, said that over the summer there was uncertainty about the café’s reopening, leaving the staff unsure whether they would have jobs this semester.
“Around two or three weeks ago, we got an official statement saying that Green Dragon is going through inspections and getting final checks to see if we’re ready to reopen,” Yacoub said.
The original Green Dragon location, known for its intimate atmosphere, was an iconic hub for students in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, fostering community and creativity. The subterranean ambiance, a large dragon mural sprawled across the wall, and dim ceiling lights made out of paint cans made it unique among other cafés on campus.
Emma Terjeson ’25, a Green Dragon barista, reminisced about the old location’s charm.
“I miss the paint can lights. I thought it was so cute and brought character. It was more intimate. It just looks so new in here, and doesn’t feel as homey in here right now,” Terjeson said.
Green Dragon employees are hoping to curate the space and receive approval to decorate the walls of the annex to bring back the original character and qualities that Green Dragon had.
“It’s been a battle with facilities and Cornell admin, but we hope in the future that in the next few weeks and months that Green Dragon will feel like old Green Dragon again,” Yacoub said.
Delina Beluts ’27 finds the new space to be brighter and more open, offering a different atmosphere compared to the previous location. Beluts frequented Green Dragon for its coffee, which she said stands out from the brew at other campus cafés.
“I like both locations, but this new location definitely has a different vibe than the last one,” Beluts said. “Personally, I’m actually really glad that there is this temporary location, because a lot of my classes are in Sibley, and it was always nice being able to stop for coffee between classes.”
Melannie Mejia ’28, an architecture student, finds the new space to be quieter and more conducive for studying due to the large windows and brighter lighting.
“It’s different for sure, but honestly sitting here, I kind of like it,” Meija said. “I never worked in the old dragon, but here it’s kind of comfy.”
As the new location is behind the original café spot in the Milstein Annex, students who do not frequent the building and are unfamiliar with its layout may face challenges in finding Green Dragon.
“I think for Green Dragon, it’s sort of like the people who come here, come here with intention because they want to come to the space,” Yacoub said. “I feel like for the people who want to seek it out, they will find it regardless of if it’s difficult to find or not. I think that’s also kind of what gives Green Dragon its uniqueness, that you kind of have to dig for it, you have to search for it.”
Prior to its transformation, the Milstein Annex was used by students in AAP to build large-scale models, and projects that used heavy chemicals, which are prohibited in the Milstein studio space.
Lydia Brawley ’28, a frequent Green Dragon customer and an architecture student, is enrolled in an AAP course ARCH 2613: Structural Systems. The class has adapted its project due to the loss of the annex workspace.
“The whole semester is dedicated to a project. The point of the class project was that it was a super large-scale project, and now it’s only going to be 2×2 feet,” Brawley said. “And now since we don’t have a dedicated work space, it’s just going to crowd [the] studio and desk space,” Brawley said.
Despite these logistical inconveniences, Green Dragon is excited to welcome all patrons — long-time customers and fresh faces alike — to the café.
“We hope it is super popular this semester,” Yacoub said. “We hope to provide everyone who comes here with the personality and charm that Green Dragon has always had.”