The Martin Luther King Jr.University Union is awaiting a trendier Coffee Express, but construction will “probably” not see completion this semester.

Shirley Stewart, vice president for student affairs, said Wednesday that she hopes the remodeling of Coffee Express will be completed this semester, but the university is waiting for Steven’s Industries to approve plans for the counters and cabinets, and the project will probably stretch into the summer months.

A temporary Coffee Express is currently in operation in the Union while the new one is being constructed.

Once the plans are approved, the university will take bids from contractors for the counter and cabinet work and then delivery for materials could take between six and eight weeks.

After that the university will be able to start construction, Carol Strode, interim director of Facilities Planning and Management, said Tuesday.

And once construction is finished, Stewart said that Coffee Express’ name will be changed to Java B&B, Beanery and Bakery. The new name will accompany a more “customer friendly” atmosphere with new counters, cabinets and carpeting.

The curved, dark, laminate counters and special lighting will help give Java B&B a more “trendy” look, Hudson said.

“We wanted to replace counters and cabinets and make it look more like a coffee house,” he said.

Stewart also said that the construction will help Coffee Express better display its products, including dipped ice cream, which is a new item that will be added once the remodel is complete.

The cost of the project is estimated at $45,000 to $50,000, Mark Hudson, director of University Housing and Dining, said Wednesday.

A temporary wall has been built, enclosing construction of the new Coffee Express and separating costumers, and the store’s materials have been shifted east for students accessibility during construction.

Stewart said the temporary wall will allow Coffee Express to continue business throughout the construction so customers are not inconvenienced.

Stewart said the remodeling of Coffee Express had to begin at the same time as the Panther Pantry because the two stores share the same storage area and water pipes, which were part of the construction project.