RALEIGH, N.C. — It may be just a coffee shop, but when it opens Monday it will mark a turning point -- the very first business offering fresh food and drinks on N.C. State's Centennial Campus.

"When you have all these people -- over 1,600 employees, over 60 companies, and now you add 3,000 students -- they needed somewhere to eat," said Centennial Campus representative Odessa Montgomery.

Centennial Campus is home to mostly research companies and government agencies. It used to only have about 300 students, but now there's 3,000 with the move of two engineering buildings to Centennial from the main campus.

"It feels like a college campus, not just a research campus," said Montgomery. "It's so nice to have students here."

Engineering Building One is complete, and Building Two is still getting some finishing touches. That's just the beginning of a planned population boom.

"We have plans for three more engineering buildings for a total of five at Centennial Campus," said John Royal of the College of Engineering. "We've relocated four departments so far, and we have six more departments to relocate."

There's plenty of land to grow on. The over-1,000-acre campus is only about 20 to 30 percent built.

"We're hopeful to see things like a library on campus, or a student activity center," said Montgomery.

A golf course, more condos, and a chancellor's residence are all planned for Centennial Campus. The timing of the rest of the classroom buildings depends on funding from the state.