Jessica Bendzick/ Winonan

Jazz music played, the fresh aroma of popcorn filled the air, and “Go Warriors” could be heard every couple of minutes. No, this was not at a carnival or a football game, but it was the scene at the Kryzsko Open House.

Last Wednesday, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Kryzsko Commons and the new renovations were on showcase to students, faculty, staff and the public. People packed the building to walk around, go on tours and enter drawings for prizes.

Several students, faculty and community members had not seen the new additions yet.

Some of the architects and contractors who helped with the renovations were also in attendance at the open house, and Wazoo was present to take pictures with people.

The Baldwin lounge was the central area for the event. Chartwells catered the food, snacks and refreshments, and music was played by two of Winona State University’s jazz combos.

Additionally, anyone who made a purchase at the bookstore received 15 percent off if they said, “Go Warriors” at the checkout counter.

Student Union director Joe Reed thought of the Kryzsko Commons renovation idea.

“I knew we had to do something,” Reed said.

The renovation all started with the bookstore, which was built in 1975. Snow and rain had started to leak down into the bookstore.

“Enrollment has doubled since then,” Reed said, “We needed space.”

In preparation for the new renovation, the bookstore had to move all of their merchandise out and establish new office and storage space. The move occurred at the beginning of the 2014 spring semester. Classes started the third week of January, and the bookstore had to be out by the beginning of February.

From concept to completion, the renovation took seven years. Because Kryzsko is an old building, Reed, who worked with several architects, was limited to constructing a design that went out rather than up. He said he wanted to expand to give the bookstore more room, add more study space and conference rooms and renovate the bathrooms.

Reed commented on his view of the the residence halls and Krzysko Commons, and he said living in such a small dorm room is a huge adjustment for most students.

Therefore, he said sees the residence halls as simply bedrooms, while Kryzsko Commons serves as students’ dining room, kitchen, study room and den, and this was Winona State’s way of updating students’ living environment.

Bookstore manager Karen Krause said one of her favorite changes about the new renovation is the outside light the bookstore now receives. She also said having front display windows gives them a little more access.

“It gives us more presence to students because when they walk by upstairs they can see that the store is here,” she said.

Krause said she hoped the open house showed students that although the bookstore may look different, it still functions in the same ways as it did before.

“We’re still located here and still available,” Krause said.