The Fraternity Board has set a goal to build a new house on the existing 1002 S. Lincoln Avenue address in the summer of 2012. This is an aggressive goal but we feel that we can make it a reality with the help of our alumni.
The estimated total cost of the project is $2 million. The new house will have a capacity for 40 men. As shown in the floor plans below, the layout of the new house will be similar to the existing facility. The first floor will be the main common area space with a living room, library, and kitchen. The second floor will hold the study rooms and the third floor will house the dorms. The house will also include a full basement which will hold the laundry and storage areas.
We have spent time working with the Active Chapter to understand their needs in the new house. Based on their input we have chosen to stay with the study room and dorm sleeping areas versus going to more of an apartment style arrangement where the men sleep in their individual rooms. They also wanted to keep the number of men in the house similar to what it is currently to keep the family atmosphere that we are all use to. The Active Chapter will continue to be very involved in the design of the new house.
One of the factors that has caused us to move quickly on the construction of a new house is the sprinkler requirement that goes into effect next year. We will be required to install a sprinkler system in the old house next year if we do not have plans to build. The estimated cost of adding sprinklers to the existing house is $60,000-75,000. We would rather put this money towards the new house then to put this money into a system in the old house.
To achieve this aggressive
building schedule, we are going to have to have an equally aggressive
fundraising campaign. As stated above, the total cost of the project is
estimated at $2 million and, ideally, we would like to raise the entire amount
from alumni contributions so that we do not have to take on any debt. Any
debt we would have to take on impacts our ability to keep house bills low and
more difficult to adhere to our founder’s goals of an affordable alternative to
University housing.
