Lambda Chi House at Colorado State
 

Church has plans for frat house
Site of Spady's death might be community center

By KENT GREEN
KentGreen@coloradoan.com
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Rich Abrahamson/The Coloradoan


CHANGE: Timberline Church is looking to turn the empty Sigma Pi fraternity house into a community center with housing.


A local church has plans to resurrect a sorrowful place into a hopeful one.

The members of Timberline Church are working on a deal to turn the old Sigma Pi fraternity house at 709 Wagner Drive into apartments and a community center.

The deal would not only rejuvenate prime real estate near campus but also would create a place where students could hang out and have fun without drinking.

"That house is a great location for what we'd like to do," said the Rev. Reza Zadeh of Timberline Church. "We want to make a place of tragedy into a place of life."

The CSU chapter of Sigma Pi was disbanded on Sept. 9, four days after 19-year-old CSU sophomore Samantha Spady was found dead in the house. A coroner report revealed Spady died of alcohol poisoning.

The center would house about 20 to 25 people. Potential residents would have to go through an application process, Zadeh said.

In an outline of the church's plans, the house - called the "Lighthouse" - would hold activities such as student-run movie nights, Bible studies, parties and volleyball games.

The house would also hold a free pancake stand from midnight to 3 a.m. on Saturday nights, where students coming home from bars or parties could eat for free.

"I think CSU's campus is looking for groups to send a positive message," Zadeh said. "We as a church want to be there for the community, especially college students."

The church has big hopes for the house's future but does not intend to forget the past. The proposal includes a wall dedicated to Spady's memory.

The wall would be put together by members of her sorority, Chi Omega, and some of her close friends and roommates. It would include things such as Spady's artwork, poems and stories.

"We want her legacy and life to mean something," Zadeh said. "Obviously, her death has changed a lot of people's lives. This is just one way to extend that to more people."

Mark Koepsell, CSU's director of Greek affairs, said even though the house is located in the midst of several Greek houses, he doesn't feel the church's vision is out of sync with the area.

"I think they'll fit in just fine," he said. "I have spoken with students on either side of the house, and they're supportive of it and think it'll be a nice addition to the neighborhood."

Zadeh said the church's idea has been well-received by the university and his congregation. Samantha Spady's family supports the church's plan, he said.

Patty Spady, Samantha Spady's mother, said she likes what she has heard about the church's goals.

"Kids need to be offered an alternative to drinking," she said. "It's going to be a challenge. How do you get a child that's so entrenched in beer culture to flip the other way and say, 'I'm going to follow God?' "

The Sigma Pi venture is the church's first foray into housing. Zadeh said he's had the idea for a house close to campus for several years and has been considering the Sigma Pi house since October.

Sigma Pi had been renting the house from a corporation of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity alumni who own the house.

The CSU Lambda Chi Alpha chapter was disbanded in 2001 after alcohol violations.

A representative of the Lambda Chi Alpha corporation declined to comment about the deal because it has not been finalized.

Zadeh said he hoped to have things finalized sometime next week, and if successful, to have the house ready by the end of July. He added that the church has been asking for private donations to fund the project.

DeAnza Humphreys, young women's leader for Timberline's Flip the Switch youth ministry, said the church and the Lambda Chi Alpha corporation are still negotiating the price of the lease.

Mark Briscoe, executive director of Sigma Pi's national organization, said Sigma Pi has had no official input into any deals with the house.

Losing the house will not deter any re-chartering attempts Sigma Pi might take when it is eligible to do so in five years, he said. "We will definitely come back to CSU." The former members of Sigma Pi have been supportive of Timberline's plans for the house, Zadeh said.

Darren Pettapiece, the old president of Sigma Pi, has worked with Zadeh and supplied him with logistical information about the house and the work that needs to be done on it.

"I think what the church is doing and turning that place into somewhere where they support students is a great thing to do," Pettapiece said. "Take the bad and turn it into something good. Anything we can do to support that, we will."

Brandi Webster, co-leader of Timberline's Shine women's ministry, said she hopes the house and the church can work to make a difference in the campus community.

"I want to see it be able to reach out to kids who don't know where to go, and then they say "Wait, I know exactly where to go. It's just a few blocks off campus,' " Webster said.

Patty Spady said the community was fortunate to have the church and people like Zadeh who are willing to contribute so readily.

"What he's trying to do is such a positive thing," she said. "It's not the only answer, but it's a step in the right direction. This is one small thing that's going to change the culture that's developed not just at CSU, but nationwide."


Originally published January 15, 2005
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If this deal goes through, I wonder where the chapter will live when they finally decide to recolonize at Colorado State. Its been about four years since they were shut down and it appears to be a nice house.

Interesting how the facts change now, Didnt that girl quit her Sorority, now she is identified as a member?

Lenoxxx

I'm confused
 

Are we renting the old Simga Pi house at CSU? What happened to our place?

I believe Sigma Pi was renting the old Lambda Chi place.

Yes, Sigma Pi was renting the old LCA house.

By the prior posts now it will be the homeless shelter or church for the memory of Samantha Spady.

Only in America could we make a shrine to someone that basically partied to death, and the people that picked her up and brought her in for the night get the hook for it.

Lenoxxx

LXA house at CSU
 

Let me rephrase my question:

Given that Sigma Pi was occupying our old house at CSU, who actually owns the house? CSU? LXA Properties? CSU LXA alumni?

As I understand it, we as a LXA House Corp. of the local Chapter owns it and were renting to SP. Now, there are talks about leasing to this church.

Think that would be a wise Idea to keep control of it as Houses are hard to come by from what I heard about CU!

Maybe one of these days We will recharter there. I know IHQ doesnt like to be off Major Campi!

Here you go...the facts as I know them
 

As a former High Pi at CSU, let me clear this up a bit for you....

The house is owned by the Lambda Chi Alpha Housing Corp., a local organization (NOT LCAP). Currently, I think there is only one or two members of the corporation.

When LXA was closed in 2001 at CSU, it was more risk management and PR issues than "alcohol violations" as referred to in the article.

CSU's greek housing is broken up into a few segmented areas, and the area where the house is was the largest concentration of houses. Since 1995, that area has undergone massive changes - one fraternity being closed, and the house interior demolished by the members, now sold to another fraternity. The house that used to be adjacent to LXA was also closed in 1998, and was razed. It is now a condo project. There is another sorority house that has been vacant since the Matthew Shephard incident as well behind the LXA house.

I think this is a great idea to lease to a Christian organization - they will not do to the house what Sigma Pi did to the house (MAJOR damage inside since they occupied)...then again, the house was aging anyways, and needs a lot of renovation.

There are lots of rumors about LXA's return to CSU. As I understand it, though, when the house was closed, the minimum time away would be four years before CSU or LXA would recolonize. I believe that time frame has now elapsed, but, I also don't think campus conditions are good for a return, yet. I would estimate another one to two years at the earliest. LXA was at CSU for almost 80 years when closed, so I would hope that LXA would want to return at the earliest opportunity, if conditions are right.

But I also know how recolonizations can go. When my chapter was closed, it was only going to be a five year absence. In reality, it was a twelve year hiatus before LXA returned - and the timing was perfect. It sure taught me patience.

So LXA Housing Corp still owns the house, and I don't see it being sold. Then again, I'm not in the loop on that, but I just don't see it as a likely occurrence anytime soon. The house is owned free and clear, and has been since 1997, if memory serves correct (when I started as High Pi in 1994, there were two or three mortgages...the Housing Corp did a great job of getting it all paid off quickly).

It sounds like the church is going to invest alot in refurbishing
the house.....which means they probably intend to keep it
for several years. They must not expect Lambda Chi to be
back for a few years then :(

CSU was one of the chapters I visited briefly while wasting
a weekend in Colo. in 1990. I showed up on the evening of
formal and didn't get to meet many brothers...they were too
busy getting dressed and heading out.

But I did find one poor brother who didn't have a date.
We sat in their formal room and had a good talk for
about an hour....so CSU is on my list of "visited chapter
houses" :)

As I recall, that is a fairly big house (if it is the same one
as 1990). The formal room was in great shape at the time...
the rest about average or a little above for others I'd seen.

Maybe that would make a good "new thread"...what chapters
have you personally visited??? I write dates in my Paed
when I visit one, beneath the pic of the house.....kinda like a
collection. Of course my Paed is so old now, alot of the
houses pictured aren't the ones they were in when I visited,
and neither are the ones they are in now!

Haven't added any in a while though :(

Yes it was...Gamma Pi occupied the same house from 1974 until their closing. Their formal room was updated again in 1998, with new paint, carpeting, and a wonderful inlaid carpet design for the chapter, donated by a member's father...I hope that carpet gets salvaged for future use.

Prior to 1974, the chapter was in a house on College Avenue, as was the rest of Greek Row. However, the entire greek system started moving to the north and west sides of campus. The old LXA house was bought by a LXA alumni, and the house was moved to a newer area and restored. The only other house LXA occupied is currently the SigEp house, which LXA built in 1940 - when WWII started, the greek system shut down. SigEp recolonized first, and bought the house. There are still some LXA specific items built into the house, which, if you know where and what to look for, are really intriguing items. (PM me for details).

Your idea of a "chapters visited thread" is a great idea!

Shawn, PM or email me , this sounds interesting!!!!!!!:)

Spadys, Greeks get special church invite
 

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs....502100304/1002


Timberline Church is opening its doors this weekend to Colorado State University's Greek community and the parents of Samantha Spady - the 19-year-old CSU sophomore who died Sept. 5 of acute alcohol poisoning.

Rick and Patty Spady are expected to speak at all five weekend services at the church, 2908 Timberline Road.

Patty Spady said she plans to thank the congregation and the community for their support in the days and months after her daughter's death.

The Rev. Reza Zadeh of Timberline Church, who serves on the Sam Spady Foundation board of directors, said the church wants to show the Spadys and CSU's Greeks "how much we care for them."

Members of the sorority that Sam Spady belonged to her freshman year, Chi Omega, and three other fraternities and sororities also are expected to attend.

"At the end of the services, we will honor them and let them know we're behind them," Zadeh said.

Accepting the church's invitation was "the least we could do," Spady said in a telephone interview from her home in Beatrice, Neb.

Zadeh and Timberline "have shown such support in trying to help change the culture (of alcohol at CSU)," she said.

Patty Spady also plans a special message for the girls from Chi Omega.

"They're a neat group of girls, and I know the tragedy they've experienced has been just as difficult," Spady said. "They have tried to help our healing process, and we've tried to help them. We can't thank them enough."

Patty Spady said her daughter's sorority sisters "have been so wonderful and supportive with their words and phone calls.

"You can never replace a daughter, but through them I feel like I still have a connection not only with Sam, but with the whole college environment."

Patty Spady said her daughter loved CSU and Fort Collins. And, the support she's received from the community since Sam's death "has been uplifting," even as her family continues to take life a day at a time.

Forming the Sam Spady Foundation to educate young people about the dangers of alcohol and alcohol poisoning has helped them stay focused on something positive.

"Our main focus is to help in some way," Patty Spady said. "The culture didn't start overnight, and it will not go away overnight. We hope that Sam made a difference while she was here, and we hope that in her death she continues to make a difference."

Timberline Church is turning the fraternity house in which Spady died into apartments and a community center.

The Sigma Pi fraternity was disbanded four days after Spady's body was found in an unused room. Now, the house - owned by a corporation of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity alumni - is being leased by Timberline.

Zadeh said he hopes to have the house, to be called Lighthouse, open by the end of July.

Redecorating begins Feb. 19-20 when a group of volunteers will work in shifts to clean up the house. Zadeh is seeking donations for new tile, carpet, furniture and paint.

"It's neat to see everyone come together to see this change from something so tragic into something so positive," Zadeh said. "Everything came out of what happened to Sam Spady."


Originally published February 10, 2005