Unique things about your chapter house

Kevin · #1 10-23-2002, 09:55 AM

My chapter is currently in the process of designing and preparing to build a house. What features do ya'll like to see in chapter houses? What has worked well for you, what is bad... What would you change about yours if you could?

sororitygirl2 · #2 10-23-2002, 10:03 AM

Don't make it house too many members (make it about equal to other chapters on your campus), or people will be pissed they don't get to move out when they are juniors and seniors... especially when all their friends in other chapters are moving into apartments.

ilovemyglo · #3 10-23-2002, 10:11 AM

We had TWO chapter houses, they were right next door to each other. I loved the butler pantry in the brown house and at the white house I loved the wooden spiral staircase.
I get to see them both this weekend!

josh8o · #4 10-23-2002, 12:10 PM

we just built a new house...but its in the new fraternity row complex so it's not like your typical fraternity house. one thing i really like about our house is the mini balconys everywhere. they open the place up, and we can yell down to the street when there are concerts at cox arena (its directly infront of us).

AXOLiz · #5 10-23-2002, 12:15 PM

Even though we weren't supposed to be up there, my favorite part of my house was the roof...off our room, there was this one large flat part and we'd go out there and study or hang out. Our house was in the ghetto, basically, so it wouldn't be the safest thing to be outside at night sitting around. With the roof, we could all be outside when it was 100 degrees inside and not have to worry about anything. I'd highly recommend a large balcony, if it's doable.

We also had this HUGE basement which we couldn't use because of fire codes. We all thought it would be nice to have a big room downstairs where we could have the TV and couches and so on to hang out in so we wouldn't have to use the chapter room for that. It would've kept the chapter room much nicer and would've had room for more people to sit comfortably. Instead, it just got piled with boxes and random crap.

queequek · #6 10-23-2002, 02:13 PM

Does Sigma Nu have "signature" on chapter houses? Like, Sig Eps with red doors, or FIJI with purple doors ... If so, I suggest to have the signature on the structure.
As Theta Delta Chi Charges prior 1930s, we have pillars in front of our structures. We try to get the tradition back.

Oh, as far as the circulation goes, one thing I notice: new structures always have concrete walls, stairways at the side(s) of the house. Our house was built in 1909, way before the new trend took over, so our staircase is in the middle of our house. Central stairways?
Also we have wall panel interior instead of concrete (more hommie this way!).
Good luck on the project. PM me if you need more help (I am a design major).

Betarulz! · #7 10-23-2002, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sororitygirl2
Don't make it house too many members (make it about equal to other chapters on your campus), or people will be pissed they don't get to move out when they are juniors and seniors... especially when all their friends in other chapters are moving into apartments.

I don't know about this, I think it depends on the overall attitudes of your campus. Here, most people want to live in as many years as possible (obviously there are some people who choose to live out), and the probably we are currently having is having to tell people that they must live out. I think that you shouldn't have to force initiated members to live in, unless you are having problems paying for rent, utilities, food while keeping prices proportional to those on campus and the dorms (all houses at Nebraska are cheaper to live in than the dorms). Size also depends on whether or not you have pledges live in. It can be smaller if you have members of only 3 classes live in instead of 4.

Other things to think about, make sure there is a more formal living room . We have one with a piano and a nice ensemble of furniture and it's used often when waiting to go to a party. Also a lot of the guys play the piano and it isn't uncommon to walk down the stairs to a variety of different songs.

Another thing is a big deck, great for barbeques and just hanging out. I'd also reccomend a nice rec room. We've got one with a pool table, a foosball table, stereo (monster speakers - not surround sound), couches, tv/dvd/vcr. It's usually a place to just hang out and nice to hang out with girls up there.

Make sure you have a really nice womens restroom...make it like one you might find in a really nice resteraunt. Ours has chairs, mirrors, counters for applying make up as well as the normal expectations and most girls agree it is the nicest out of any of the fraternities. Make sure yours is also well stocked with toilet paper always...

The biggest reccomendation I can make is to make sure daily cleaning is done. The way we do this is that our pledges have duties, nothing hard - just about a 10 minute cleanup job that must be done everyday and then be signed off by an active. It might be cleaning a bathroom, cleaning the dining room, or making sure the deck is free of debris. They rotate through the duties during pledge semester and then in second semester (we never have a spring pledge class) they get to choose which duty they will have for the entire semester and this is done in order of roll number. Fines are assessed for duties that are not done. The overall effect is that everyone begins to feel pride in where they are living because they are doing their part, and that pride carries on for the next 3 years. Further, girls in general notice how clean the house is and will almost always make comments about it which further inspires pride in the house. There is also something to be said about a clean house in the eyes of PNM during rush and whenever parents come over.

Tom Earp · #8 10-23-2002, 09:22 PM

Kevin, good luck on building a new house! We are in the process of trying to fdo the same!

Pledges cleaning the house is hazing by Natioanl Standards! Sucks but TRUE!

Our House built in 1895 and first house in Pittsburg, Ks to have electricity! It is dead, tired, and a hazard!

1. House x amount depending on track record. Do Not Overbuild, you will regret it.

2. After people live in the house for a while, especially Jr/Sr. want to have their on place! Make it so people want to live there, a privilage as it were.

3. Do not be a resturant, cooking facillities, big expense. Most schools have food plans. Maybe have catered meal plan?

4. Have all of the amenities, cable access, phone, and plenty of plug ins!

4. Party/ Meeting room big enuff for both, Basement, eating if catered food.

5. Formal Room and casual room on first floor.

6. Nice restrooms for the ladies! A Big Bug Of Mine!

7. Be very competative with school and local rents! Houses usually cheaper.

8. Do A Big Deck. More goes on there when the weather is nice!!!!!! Put at rear of house so citizens cannot see a bunch of Greeks acting stupid and giving a bad impression.

9. New Houses will not have gang showers, dormmer rooms. All like the little privacy as more schools are going to suites and private bathrooms. We also have to do the same at more expense.

Well, I just gave you the defenitive plan for a new house! Hope it floats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevin · #9 10-23-2002, 09:30 PM

Some great suggestions! Keep them coming!

Optimist Prime · #10 10-23-2002, 09:33 PM

dude, that rocks!! I am housing chair and house manager so PM me if you need specific advise on how to find/build/run your house. Get a big living room to be your chapter room for composite, pledge class paddles etc. Then try for a different tv room.

Kevin · #11 10-23-2002, 09:37 PM

I've only been in 2 other Sigma Nu houses. Both have chapter rooms that only brothers are allowed into or candidates for certain purposes. So we're planning on a chapter room like that somewhere.

PiKapp Raider · #12 10-23-2002, 10:50 PM

One really good idea that is floating around our chapter is to model our house after a historic home in town. There is an old Civil War home in Murfreesboro called the Oakland mansion, that a few of us think it would be cool to use as a model for our fraternity house. It's a great house and would serve use perfectly, it would cut out a lot of the planning we would have to do, and it would be good PR for us within the community.

hannahgirl · #13 10-24-2002, 01:09 AM

I've seen two Sigma Nu houses, the one here at Akron (Kappa Lambda chapter) and the one at Mount Union (Beta Iota chapter). Both houses are extremely nice. Akron is more modern and quite big. The most interesting thing about their house is the rubber tree in the middle of the house. The house was built a "hole" in the middle so when you go upstairs, you can look over the side of the wall and look downstairs (pretty much into the tree) it's a cool balcony type effect. Mount Union's house is very classic. It is, I believe, the oldest house at Mount? It's just gorgeous that I can't even explain it. I believe there are 4 floors and right when you walk in the front doors, there is a staircase to the front, the chapter room to the right, and the "dance floor" area and living room to the left. There is a balcony off of the living room area which is very cool. Just a couple ideas....

Kevin · #14 10-25-2002, 10:29 AM

I'm getting good ideas out of this so I'm going to bump it back up to the top

queequek · #15 10-25-2002, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ktsnake
I've only been in 2 other Sigma Nu houses. Both have chapter rooms that only brothers are allowed into or candidates for certain purposes. So we're planning on a chapter room like that somewhere.

It would be better off if you make this room hidden, so no one else would know if this room exist. Use the entrering ritual in order to get into the room.