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Gamma Zeta was RIGHT- the betrayal of MSU's Lambda Chi Alpha
Every Lambda Chi Alpha should feel let down and disgraced by this article. Shame on LCAP, and Shame on Nationals for shucking responsibility.
Gamma Zeta- you are 100% right on. http://www.statenews.com/index.php/m...?cp=1#comments Sadly, I continue to eat Crow on this. And if you feel this post is about you, or is attacking you, good, it probably is. Shameful!! I hope whoever got 30 pieces of silver from this has bad karma for life. |
Good luck. You have my support.
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This is just unacceptable. Kudos to the President and Vice-President of this chapter for arguing their case in front of a commission who could have easily granted the simple parking variance needed by the developers to finalize the contract with Mike Smith. Never give up hope.
Where are our nationals to fight for this chapter? Eugene Dunham was the High Pi for the Gamma Omicron Zeta at Michigan State for years, and now he sits atop LCAP's Board of Directors. We need to start rallying our Grand High Zeta to advocate for our brothers. I can only imagine their response to such abandonment at the General Assembly this summer. |
Here's my question- LCAP is going bankrupt basically...
.....Why isnt this house just being sold for a dollar to Gamma Omicron? Gene Dunham and every single person associated with LCAP should be ashamed of what is happening. And as omeone that was part of getting the rug pulled out from under them as well the whole "LCAP and Lambda Chi Alpha" were separate/are separate. That's a joke, they are very much the same. Same secretaries, same office, all members of the same group, LCAP would use elc visits and sanctions (member expulsion) from the GF to implement their goals, and the fact that they were getting loans from eachother to keep LCAP solvents makes me cry foul on it all. If you are going to General Assembly, speak out on this, what a joke!!! GAMMA ZETA WAS RIGHT |
Sorry to crash, but this sort of phenomenon was exactly why I'm wary about national house corporations. With pooled assets comes pooled liability.
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Why aren't they selling the house to ΓO for a dollar? Because the profits off this sale might save another chapter from the same fate down the road. That is to say that if LCAP can capitalize on this deal, where they have a strong offer on a great property, then the profits from it might keep LCAP from having to sell another house in a hurry, which might allow another chapter to keep their house. Why sell the ΓO house and not another to help ΓO keep theirs? 1. the house is valuable and 2. the chapter will survive, they have a strong presence on campus. Other chapters don't have those two benefits to LCAP.
Is it fair? No. Is it the line you'll hear from HQ? Doubtful. In fact, I've never heard this "benefit" espoused by anyone on the GHZ or HQ staff. It is, however, one of the few sensible lines of reasoning that would explain why LCAP and HQ are acting in this manner. Sorry, ΓO - my heart goes out to you guys. Bottom line: ΓO is a lamb to the LCAP slaughter, but they might help another chapter avoid the same fate. |
Sigma-
I could agree with you in principal, however this is LCAP. You are giving them way too much credit for having any kind of plan at all. At Shippensburg we explicitly told them in November of 2007- If you are doing this, dont rely on these children to live in the house, they will live elsewhere or lie to you. LCAP told us they understood that. Months later in April/May of 2008 I got a frantic email (after being asked not to be a part of their shenanigans) from LCAP about how they couldnt sell the house, and asked the undergrads to live there again, and Lo and Behold the undergrads lied to them about getting leases for them, and LCAP had a vacant property they couldnt sell, with no buyers in sight, and no renters. Flash forward to summer 2008 I called to ask if anyone from the chapter had signed up to go to GA (none had) and I asked them if they had realized the chapter was probably livng in the house illegally. Of course LCAP told me "They cant do that they are not allowed to", at which time I laughed at them and told them to do some homework on it. And again, Lo and Behold the undergrads were living there illegally! LCAP Threatens them over the phone when they find out, and the chapter proceeds to destroy the house- further ruining the value of the sale of the house. The house was later sold in 2009 at a loss and Phi Tau got nothing out of the sale since LCAP told us they didnt have the money to give. Amazing how Phi Tau took the loss on this, and not LCAP for their continual negligence/idiocy. So in closing Sigma- to give LCAP any credit for some kind of plan to spin off Gamma Omicron's house to some bigger plan to save others to me is a joke- they couldnt handle a simple rental that should have made money and turned it into a disaster, after being told what to do at numerous times over 4 years, culminating in that last list (above) of complete idiocy. LCAP is like a chicken with it's head cut off. They should sell that hosue for a dollar, and declare bankruptcy to their creditors- LAMBDA CHI ALPHA NATIONALS, and help out the chapters. This is about paying back nationals, and Gamma Omicron is the sacrificial lamb to fill their coffers up at the main office, not helping out a Zeta in distress at MSU or some other "as yet to be named place". So I will agree with you and tweak your bottom line a bit... Bottom Line- Gamma Omicron is a Sacrificial Lamb to LCA's national's bottom line for loaning money to LCAP. |
This really hurts me to say I said this 4-5 years ago.
I wish I was 100% WRONG on this. |
Gamma- I feel like all of our chapters were like clients of Bernie Madoff.
I got suckered along with the rest, and I say it again, we should have listened to you. It's humbling to admit being wrong on something like this, but liberating to have the courage to say it at the same time. Right now Im just out banging the drum for the guys at Michigan State to bring awareness, and hopefully some embarrassing attention to this situation to the powers that be, as opposed to letting it totally slip under the rug. zax |
It was difficult for me to admit that we were swindled 5 years ago.
LCAP came in with promises of pool tables, big screen TV's, extra effort for recruitment, and on and on. First day under LCAP rule, they made us go down to the basement to sign ILLEGAL leases. We sued them on the ILLEGAL leases and WON in a COURT OF LAW. The problem with LXA is simple. NO ONE HAS ANY EXPERIENCE IN WHAT THEY DO! Look at the founders and employees of LCAP. Not one of them had any property management experience. NONE! Never mind any experience management dozens of properties across the United States. Hell, they even had a built in customer base in the members of LXA and they still couldn't make it work. LXA promotes from within regardless of experience, education or qualifications. My twist on Woody Allen's saying: Those who do...do. Those who can't...teach. Those that can't teach...teach gym. Those that can't teach gym...work for LXA. |
The 6 years prior to LCAP we had 100% occupancy, and 100% rent collection at our old house, after LCAP it went to like 50% on both counts, and when we had ideas for them to do it better at a small state school they told us "WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT".
Do you remember saying that Joe Klimek? Smart ass punk. And Joe, I hope you are reading all of this, and thanks for sabotaging us, and many other chapters. |
Leno,
Did you get the "we're brothers" speech BEFORE you signed the house over? The speech where they say they will treat you like brothers of LXA, support you, respect you, help you? And then did you get the "this is business" speech AFTER you signed the house over? The speech where they tell you if you are late with your rent you will be automatically evicted, or if you don't agree to their illegal terms the day you are supposed to move in you will be homeless for the semester, or how they wrongfully handle your security deposit and they refuse to refund it? |
Yes sounds about right.
My gripe is that they told us at LCAP that if they needed to they would lean on nationals to expell brothers for not paying rent etc. and demand the chapter bring charges against people for doing things to the house, it shows they blurred the line with LCAP and nationals many times, now they want separation. Shippensburg and UMass were straight up stolen from by LCAP and the National fraternity. That's the spirit of things with the current staff and GHZ in my humble opinion. |
The denial of LXA is a vicious circle.
Every year, you have a group of 18 year olds that are brain washed into the LXA praise and "do no wrong" attitude. "We believe in Lambda Chi Alpha..." over and over and over and over and over again. The more you say and see it, the more you believe it. After a while, LXA isn't just a group of guys, or even a brotherhood, but something you were brain washed into thinking of the perfect organization. I was brain washed, and learned the hard way. Not to say LXA and the BROTHERS and PEOPLE aren't great...but as a formal organization.... Too often we forget that it's the PEOPLE that make us great and NOT HQ. It's the friendship between brothers, and common goals between chapters. If HQ stopped existing this very moment, we would still be brothers and nothing would change. If us brothers stopped existing this very moment, HQ would cease to exist. HQ is there to serve US, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Now back to the point. Every year you have thousands of 18 year olds brain washed into thinking LXA is great and can do no wrong. HQ, believing in the brain washing, hears the chants and praises and BEGINS TO THINK IT IS TRUE THAT THEY CAN DO NO WRONG. Problem is, it is a circle with no outside influence or critique. They insulate themselves from the real world by this cycle. Now if something does go wrong (LCAP) everyone is afraid that the issue will tarnish LXA and they either 1. let it continue until it does serious harm 2. ignore it 3. come out with some new program to mask it 4. go on a witch hunt against anyone willing to expose or fix it 5. throw more gas on the fire in the hopes it will eventually fix itself. We need to privatize our HQ. Bring in CEO's and CFO's and managers that are accountable on a YEARLY basis to the stockholders...THE BROTHERHOOD. Let professionals run our million dollar organization/company. That would allow us to focus on what really counts...the brotherhood. |
Also forgot to include:
http://alum.wpi.edu/~joseph.klimek/ Notice on the top two "accomplishments" he lists "break even" as an achievement... Seriously, LXA hired a guy with no real estate experience who listed "break even" in a resume and was trained by Kip Zurcher to run LCAP. I'm not even going to go into Zurcher and the previous management. Hey GHZ...STOP HIRING FROM WITHIN AND GET QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS! |
Enhanced the operations of these non-profit organizations through the standardization of business processes, development of professional working standards, and implementation of effective business controls. Significant accomplishments included:
· Transformed a real estate entity with a net operating loss into a break even operation with 18 months. Identified core business requirements and measurably improved business operations. · Identified a lack of business controls and implemented new procedures to build credibility of an organization that faced criticism from board members, vendors, and public accountants. I think I almost went blind from rolling my eyes so hard reading this. It is amazing how much bullshitting goes into resume writing. I think the Shippensburg chapter can rebound from all of this at some point. Primarily we are out about 30 grand that we'll never see. The chapter closed as well, but that probably would have happened anyway, and the school already has said they would love to have the fraternity brought back. I see a smaller chapter that will have to find a rental house on their own, or a townhouse. All of the Greek housing is folding, so not having a large house is not really an issue, so the chapter should be a new group of kids, that hopefully are not a-holes, and with similar housing to other groups- small rentals and townhouses. Now the UMass and MSU things are totally different, and may not be able to be fixed as readily as the Shippensburg situation. As far as I am concerned Joe owes Shippensburg 30 grand for representing LCAP and himself in a false manner. Will he ever admit to that? Probably not. |
Yeah, Umass and MSU are different, but also share similarities.
MSU got screwed. Umass got absolutely, positively, 100% raped and $hit on and then screwed. |
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Or do you think it's better to have someone in this position who isn't a member so as to avoid any prejudices or loyalties? Hope that made sense. |
Your second suggestion is the best. Someone who isn't politically connected or too loyal. We don't need someone to make friends, we need people to run a business.
HQ only hires friends of friends of friends. Net not large enough? WHAT NET?!?!?! "The problem is, he will never know that he could be of aid unless they come out and ask the wider brotherhood for help." HQ won't ask for help because that would mean admitting they are wrong...and that their hiring practices are flawed. It's just a screwed up situation. |
LCAP was so bad 33 girl that at our school we would tell them directly what would work to maximize profits and occupancy, each time we were ignored. For example at Shippensburg, Lease signing was in Sept for the University community- LCAP got us leases in January. After asking dozens of times, we were told this was impossible to accomplish and it "wasnt how LCAP did business" even if it flew in the face of what actually occured at a schoolw e were intimately familiar with.
They didnt need outside experts, just listen to the damn alumni who they had conned into placing trust with them (them being LCAP) It aint rocket science, just bloated egos. Thanks Joe Klimek. |
The stink of this disgrace keeps on growing.
Everyone should rise up against this at the General Assembly this summer. Shame on Lambda Chi Alpha in General. Despite commission vote, MSU fraternity members vow to continue battle for house Published: 03/10 10:31pm By: Zane McMillin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Members of MSU’s chapter of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity said they will continue to fight plans to turn the fraternity’s house in an apartment complex after the East Lansing Planning Commission approved a developer’s request to do so Wednesday night. The East Lansing Planning Commission voted 5-1 to approve a site plan request from a Troy-based developer that would convert the fraternity house, located at 128 Collingwood Drive, into apartment housing. The issue now moves to the East Lansing City Council for approval or denial. Fraternity members, joined by members of the Lambda Chi Alpha local housing corporation, said they were disappointed by the commission’s decision. Dan Shupe, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, said fraternity members would continue to garner community opposition to the development plans. He said fraternity members also plan to speak at the council meeting. “It sucks that it didn’t go our way,” Shupe said. “We’re going to continue to try to reach out to anyone in the community to speak before (city officials).” During Wednesday’s meeting, allegations of mismanagement by Lambda Chi Alpha’s national fraternity were brought up as reasons why the commission should not approve the development. Members also said the development plans would diminish the 83-year-old house’s historical value. Eric Novak, director of the fraternity’s local housing corporation, said the national fraternity bought the property from his organization in 1993. Novak said the national fraternity then sold the property in 2003 to a nonprofit called Lambda Chi Alpha Properties, which has signed an agreement to sell the fraternity house to developer Dale Inman. Novak said the national fraternity breached its contract with the local housing corporation because it failed to notify the corporation in writing of its intent to sell. He said although he does not want to pursue a legal battle over plans to sell the site, it remains an option. “We will talk with our legal counsel and see what actions we have available to us to prevent this from occurring,” Novak said. Planning commission members who approved of the site plan said it was not the commission’s place to oppose the plans because of alleged mismanagement during the selling process. “I sympathize with the residents of this home,” commissioner Emily Fleury said. “That said, I do think it’s not within the planning commission’s purview because of a dispute over the fairness or unfairness of the sale.” Commissioner Lynsey Clayton, who voted against approving the site plan application, said the developer’s intentions of adding on 1,980 square feet to the back of the fraternity house violates city code. Clayton also said the lack of viable options for alternate housing for the fraternity’s members led her to oppose the proposal. “I don’t feel comfortable displacing these students,” Clayton said. “(They don’t) have a place to go to thrive and continue to benefit our community.” Tim Schmitt, an East Lansing community development analyst, said the city likely will not have a hand in relocating fraternity members to a new location. Schmitt said there are scant relocation options for fraternity members. “The situation we find ourselves in is we’re not real estate agents,” Schmitt said. “We’re put in an awkward position. There’s not a lot that we can do.” Inman said he was pleased with the commission’s decision to approve the site plan and said his purchase agreement with Lambda Chi Alpha Properties is justified. “Unfortunately it’s something that’s not just occurred over the last couple of months, it’s been something that’s occurred over the last few years,” Inman said. “And if we were not the ones to do it this year, someone else would be the one to do it next year or the year after.” |
"They are as capiable as any individual in the working sector."
No they are NOT as capable as any individual in the working sector. NONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN HIRED FOR A COMPANY TO PERFORM THE SAME FUNCTIONS. They had NO experience, NO qualifications and NO expertise. Obviously, we are not capable of running our own fraternity... Let's do a quick recap: Numbers overall are down. Chapters are down. We kicked our own Founder out of the fraternity. We were almost BANKRUPT NUMEROUS TIMES. LCAP was/is a disaster. Should I go on? Sure, say what's past is past. Too bad we never move forward. |
Here are some quick facts:
1. LCAP tried to sell 128 Collingwood to G-O and its alumni for about 2 years. 2. G-O alumni made low-ball bids on 128 Collingwood which would have lots LCAP hundreds of thousands of dollars (money that was invested into the house). 3. LCAP informed G-O alumni that they had a market offer on 128 Collingwood and gave them (G-O) time to respond before it was sold it to the developers. 4. LCAP is now under contract to sell 128 Collingwood to the developers. Here are some quicker facts: 1. LCAP made several efforts to sell 128 Collingwood back to the alumni of G-O. 2. LCAP is a business. 3. Any other business would have put 128 Collingwood on the market a long time ago. It looks like they just got sick of being low-balled and lead on with promises of funding coming in the future. Yes, LCAP is/was a disaster. They lost a lot of money and now they're going out of business. It sucks for G-O. If you don't like what LCAP is doing, write your local GHZ member. |
Here are some facts back for you Sigma 1844
The House at Michigan was one of the biggest cash drains to LCAP, and to the general fraternity. One of the primary reasons LCAP went under was to continue subsidizing the house at UM for the Sigma chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha. Primary reason, huge house with almost no residents and a chapter that was small for a small campus, much less a Big 10 school. So really, I find it amusing that the only person that is defending LCAP is someone that had their chapter helped out to a large degree by other chapters getting the squeeze and favorable treatment from LCAP, probably due to pressure from alumni, GHZ members etc. Enjoy the house at UM, I think everyone else that LCAP threw under the bus are the ones paying for it. I am fairly sure there is some documentation of this floating around online, I'll see if I can find it. |
I would like to hear the REAL version of facts.
In my own experience, LCAP WASTED and was taken advantage of by contractors for tens of thousands of dollars on "improvements" to GZ. Improvements that weren't necessary. 1. LCAP takes advantage of the volunteers and lack of communication. 2. Probably, LCAP put mortgages on the property that LCAP refused to settle/dicharge and the value was based on that. Also, didn't I read somewhere in the news that something about housing values going down? I may have heard someting about the economy as well. I don't think it was on the front page. Maybe someone else has heard something about the economy. 3. See 1. 4. LCAP's debt and "improvements" usually make it impossible for a chapter to re-buy the house and the only way any money can be made is to sell the house to a developer to level it and build houses/condos. It's the USE that matters. A developer is to make money, the FRATERNITY operates as non-profit and is there to provide adequate housing. The property is worth more as something other than a fraternity. So naturally a developer would offer more. 2. LCAP is a business...they say that AFTER they get the house. BEFORE it you are "brothers". |
Something else to point out to our Michigan Grad is this- simply saying "Hey Shippensburg/Michigan State (fill in your chapter here) we want to sell the house to you with no notice a week before thanksgiving" is about as dishonest and unprofessional as you can get in a fraternal/business relationship. Shippensburg had no hope to get this sort of money together. And frankly a campaign to raise that sort of money might take years- with no notice that you will need to rally your alumni- especially when LCAP lied about having a long term housing option for the chapters they claime to be caretakers for.
LCAP should have been more than happy to take low-ball offers for these houses. They took them under false pretenses and sold them out with no notice. I would also be amused to see if the shoe was on the other foot and UM's house was getting sold out from under them if Sigma1844 would be singing a different tune? |
I wasn't defending LCAP. I said "LCAP is/was a disaster" and I'm not going to argue any of the facts you Brothers have put forth in response. If you want to argue about this, you can argue with someone else because I don't like LCAP either. I had gotten an update on the situation and thought it would be courteous to update the information set forth here.
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Update???
From where? |
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Barbie- that's the funniest thing I've seen all day!!
Thanks for the laughs. And yes GZ- what is this update? Maybe this thread is pissing off the people in Indianapolis as their dirty laundry gets tossed around? Nice. |
Most members, and I have met many generations from many chapters, speak of negative experiences with Indy.
Anything positive usually comes form Indy itself, and not the members. Indy never realizes, they are their to serve us, not the other way around. |
Well keep on fighting the power Gamma Omicron.
Here is an update for everyone following along, especially for anyone in Indy who hates this being on here- and isnt allowed to comment!! Gamma Zeta and I should go and testify on LCAP as expert witnesses. I hope Nationals/LCAP continues to get the bad rap they deserve in this fiasco. City Council defers frat house vote By Zack Colman (Last updated: 03/16/10 11:45pm) Members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity delayed the fate of their 128 Collingwood Drive home as the East Lansing City Council referred the issue to the city’s Historic District Commission on Tuesday during its meeting at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road. The referral was made to ensure the site plan to convert the home into 15 high-end apartments meets city code. The site plan calls for an addition to the structure’s rear, which cannot be visible from the street in accordance with a historic district ordinance. Councilmember Nathan Triplett said he was not comfortable with the proposed plan based on photographs provided by Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity members. “There’s been a lot of discussion about the fact that it’s in a historic district,” Triplett said of the 83-year-old, Tudor-style fraternity home. “It’s unclear based on the photos and discussions tonight whether the site plan conforms to the requirements of the ordinance.” The Historic District Commission, which informally reviewed and approved the site plan last week, will offer a formal recommendation at its April 12 meeting. The issue will then go before City Council at its April 20 meeting. Both Lambda Chi Alpha Properties Inc., or LCAP, which owns the home, and developer Dale Inman have signed a binding contract authorizing the home’s purchase, and it could only be a matter of time before a deal is finalized. Inman said he and partner Michael Dowdle have worked with city staff to ensure the site plan was up to code, and despite his disappointment Tuesday, Inman said he believes the site plan will move forward. Dan Shupe, Lambda Chi Alpha chapter president, said the fraternity has considered going the legal route to block a sale, but it currently is searching for a new residence. Councilmember Kevin Beard, who said Tuesday’s decision “bought them a little more time — that’s it,” said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the dispute in court. He noted correspondence from LCAP and the fraternity’s local housing corporation differ in the accounts and responsibilities for both parties. The local housing corporation owned 128 Collingwood Drive until 1993, when it sold the property to the national fraternity, which had begun purchasing several fraternity homes. Under the agreement, the local housing authority had through 1997 to repurchase the home, after which the national fraternity could sell it. In 2007, the chapter was informed by LCAP — which allegedly purchased the home in 2003 from the national fraternity, although Shupe said the deal was backdated from 2009 and breached contract because the fraternity was not officially offered first right of sale — that the organization planned to sell the home unless the local chapter bought it back for $806,000. The local housing authority, however, claimed the property went into neglect when national leadership changed through the years, and LCAP was unresponsive to the local chapter’s needs. This prompted the fraternity to hire NAI Mid-Michigan, a local commercial real estate firm, to assess the house. According to the local housing corporation’s correspondence, that value was between $300,000 and $350,000, amounting to a nearly $500,000 difference than what LCAP expected for the property. LCAP said $300,000 was “substantially below” the home’s mortgage value and would have required LCAP to find outside funds to complete the sale. Inman said, however, he was close to a contract with LCAP in summer 2009, when he said LCAP unexpectedly went back to the local fraternity to see if it could purchase the home. A court battle probably still would not be solved before the fall semester begins, which means Lambda Chi Alpha members still could need a new home. “Right now we’re in the process of working to find another large house in the community,” Shupe said. “Right now we’re willing to rent, but we haven’t been able to find any to rent-to-purchase.” Originally Published: 03/16/10 11:33pm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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This thread keeps getting better- thanks to both Barbie and Tom Earp!!
TOM ADMIT IT IS YOU DAMMIT!!!! HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK WE ARE???? zax Lenoxxx |
For the win!
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Yes TOM- it is harsh.
You have been banned from this site about 12 times, yet there you are stalking the site and making up new names to continue to come back. It's lame and disrespectful. On top of that, you are SO BAD at doing it (same bad grammar and writing style) that you can't even lie effectively in a forum that a CHILD COULD BREAK THE RULES- therefore your lameness and disrespect is COMICAL. We don't need your input on any topics moving forward, please continue to comment on all of the online Cross and Crescent articles where you haven' been banned yet. Lenoxxx |
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Barbie's Rush-
No problem. I only really read the LCA part of Greek chat, and while my posts may or may not be liked or popular- I try to add RELEVANT CONTENT. Not rambling BS about nothing. I can only shudder as to what Tom has done on Greek Chat to earn the wrath of so many folks, glad to see that "DENOD" has been banned. I will report it if he shows up here again. Ive had enough!!! Lets get back to bitching about MSU!! zax Jason |
Well it looks like the GOOD GUYS are winning a round here in East Lansing.
Here is my update for this evening http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...0391/1001/NEWS SHAME ON LCAP, OUR NATIONAL FRATERNITY and ANY AND ALL "STAFF MEMBERS" WHO CALL THEMSELVES BROTHERS THAT HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS DISGRACE. I Hope that our brothers at Gamma Omicron will save their house and further embarrass all of the above people- they certainly deserve it!! Zax ------------------------ East Lansing council gives fraternity a month to rescue its house By DAWN PARKER • dlparker@lsj.com • March 19, 2010 • From Towne Courier EAST LANSING - Michigan State University's oldest fraternity has another month to try to save their landmark East Lansing house. At its March 16 meeting, the city council voted 4-0 - Mayor Victor Loomis was absent - to defer any decision on a site plan for the conversion of the Lambda Chi Alpha house into 15 three- and four-bedroom apartments. By the same margin, the council also voted to send the site plan to the Historic District Commission. The commission will be asked to determine whether proposed additions to the rear of the Tudor-style house at 128 Collingwood would be visible from the street. "We're very appreciative of what the council did tonight," sophomore William Readdy said. "It's an avenue we were trying to explore for an extended period. It's an extra step that we feel is very necessary in terms of preserving the historic integrity of our home." The house, built in 1927 and part of the Bailey Historic District, is bound by Historic District regulations to keep its façade unchanged. It has been used as a fraternity house for its entire existence. Landlord woes? The house was purchased for $300,000 in 1993 by the national fraternity, and then sold to Lambda Chi Alpha Properties in 2003. LCAP has entered into a contract with developer Dale Inman and partner Michael Dowdle to convert the fraternity house for another residential use. Dowdle told the council that LCAP has "acted in good faith" throughout the process, even giving the fraternity an 11th-hour attempt to regain ownership of its home. While the exterior is well-preserved, current members and alumni alike crowded the meeting room to talk about the interior, which they say has not been properly maintained. Calling the national fraternity "essentially the bad landlord," alumnus Joe Manzella detailed things like a $150 fix that, left unrepaired, led to the house's boiler burning up. "What we need and did not get was due process," Manzella said. "Speak the truth instead of lawyer talk." Alumnus David Lyons, an employee of LCAP, said his employer's "genuine disinterest" in maintaining the property was apparent. (2 of 2) Unusable kitchen Toilets were in bathrooms without stalls for nine months, and the house's kitchen has been deemed unusable by code for the past four years. The Historic District Commission has yet to review the site plan. The project was on the commission's agenda for its most recent meeting on March 11, but was not formally considered after it was determined the proposed addition "did not distract from the historic nature of the building," the city's planning and zoning administrator Darcy Schmitt explained to the council. Council members, however, would prefer the site plan go through the commission before it comes back to their body. "I think there is an open question there," noted council member Nathan Triplett, referring to whether the proposed redevelopment meets the requirements of the city's Historic District Ordinance. The Historic District Commission's next meeting is Thursday, April 8. Readdy said the fraternity will abide by whatever decision is made. "In the event they receive (the commission's) approval, I think we will at least feel that we've tried to do what we could do," he said. |
"Alumnus David Lyons, an employee of LCAP, said his employer's "genuine disinterest" in maintaining the property was apparent."
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS! LCAP threw thousands of dollars away on "fixes" for Gamma Zeta while they ignored the real problems. Why fix water spots on the ceiling when THE ROOF NEEDS REPLACING? Then LCAP was taken advantage of by the contractors because no one know how to manage. God, the people that ran LCAP should be thrown out of LCA. |
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