UGa wants 5 GLOs off their property

[hoosier]

University plans to relocate fraternities

By GRAYSON IRVIN
Published , September 09, 2005, 06:00:01 AM EDT


The University has given five fraternities with houses on Lumpkin Street the option of moving to River Road as part of a long-term goal of removing them from North Campus.

The fraternities — Chi Phi, Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta and Tau Epsilon Phi — are located on University land without a lease, so the chapters will have to move at some point in the future.

The fraternities also have the choice of moving to property off campus.

“We’re not forcing anyone to go (to River Road),” said Rodney Bennett, vice president for Student Affairs.

Bennett said the University is still working out the exact details for how the fraternities that choose to move to River Road will be accommodated.

“This is not something that is going to be resolved this month or even this year,” Bennett said.

Many details such as the financing for the new houses on River Road or off campus have yet to be discussed in detail, Bennett said.

However, he emphasized the University’s desire to provide fair deals for the fraternities:

“It is our intention to compensate each of them for the equity that is in the current structures,” Bennett said.

Head of University Architects Danny Sniff said Thursday his office has not yet been contacted about the move and no plans have been made for the land on which the houses currently sit.

Although the University currently may not have plans for the land, Sniff said the University has more than 12 million square feet of identified building needs.

“When land becomes available we have a use for it,” Sniff said.

He also said the houses’ location on North Campus fits with the goals of the master plan — a “more dense configuration.”

Officers and members of Lumpkin fraternities declined to comment for this story on Wednesday, referring questions to the Interfraternity Council.

“All houses that will be affected know about it,” said Eddie Goepp, IFC vice president for public relations.

Goepp said he received an e-mail from Claudia Shamp, the associate dean of Greek life, that outlined the developments, which he said is “pretty much all we know about it.”

Shamp said the University chose the land for its availability and proximity to campus and wants to create a “Greek Village” to redefine Greek life on campus.

She added that the fraternities could benefit from the move because of the opportunity to get new and improved housing.

“Moving is never easy,” Shamp said. “We never anticipated anyone was going to be overjoyed.”

The relocation could take several years, Bennett said. He said if the University begins work on the relocation efforts this fall, the new houses would probably not be completed until August 2008.

In the mean time, Bennett said the chapters could stay in their current locations provided they keep the houses up to code.

[moe.ron]

Looks like the university want to work with the fraternities to make the move as easy as possible.

[HoosierPhiSig]

yeah. we would be so lucky to get that kind of kind treatment here at IU. You can tell the Greek Community is not well liked here by the school's administration and real estate people...

[hoosier]

Used to be just the opposite at IU - all of those big houses were built with the Univ. providing cheap land, and guaranteeing the house mortgages.

They even had a brochure prepared and distributed to other campuses bragging about how the so-called "Indiana Plan" was a big success. The guarantees had never cost the school a buck.

That "living saint" now-dead Herman B Wells was a past pres of Sigma Nu, and long-time dean of students Robt. Shaffer was a great Sigma Chi.

[hoosier]

Chi Phi may try to fight moving

By GRAYSON IRVIN
Published , September 15, 2005, 06:00:01 AM EDT


Although the University has given five fraternities on Lumpkin Street two options for relocation, one fraternity alumnus said his chapter may have a third option — to stay where it is.

Jim Wimberly, a member and former president of the Chi Phi alumni advisory board, said he has documents from an agreement between the University and the fraternity in which the chapter gave its land to the University.

Wimberly said the agreement, which was confirmed with the University in December 1960, includes a condition that the house on the land would always be the Chi Phi fraternity house.

“(The University) made a public and written agreement with us, and we believe they will live up to it,” said Wimberly, who graduated from the University’s Law School in 1968 and practices in Atlanta.

Wimberly said he could not provide a copy of the documents for The Red & Black until he discussed it with other alumni.

University officials will meet with the affected fraternities in early October to begin discussions of the chapters’ financial and leasing options should they choose to move to River Road, said Rodney Bennett, vice president for student affairs.

Last week chapters of Kappa Alpha, Chi Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta and Tau Epsilon Phi were told by administrators that they may relocate to River Road or seek land off campus.

Bennett, who said he is aware of Chi Phi’s claim, said the meeting in October is the first step in working out deals with the fraternities.

“Until we see it, we don’t really know how to respond,” Bennett said of the agreement.

He said it is too soon to say whether the University would honor any agreements fraternities may produce, and he would not be the administrator to make those decisions should they arise.

One alumnus said other fraternities along Lumpkin may claim to have similar agreements with the University, although he said he was unsure how they might impact the relocation agreements.

John McGoogan, chairman of the Phi Delta Theta advisory board and adviser for the chapter, said many alumni in Georgia probably have not heard about the recent development, and he could not say how the chapter planned to relocate until he had met with University officials.

He said the University’s straightforward relationship with the fraternities has made the process easier.

“Bennett has been very good about this,” he said. “The (fraternity) advisers are greatly appreciative.”

Some of the fraternities along Lumpkin Street once owned their land but sold it to avoid paying property taxes.

Wimberly said the Chi Phi Alumni Board deeded its land to the University to avoid paying property taxes and reduce taxes on donations for the maintenance and renovation of the house.

He said he will meet with University officials in October to discuss the chapter’s options._

[GeorgiaGirl]

I don't really know how I feel about this whole thing. I think that UGA is handling it well and it's not going to hurt any of the orgs to move, but it just kills me that the university is going to tear down the houses. They are all (well...most of them) so beautiful and historic. I just can't fathom tearing them down to build a parking deck or something...

[AGDLynn]

My bro was a Pike there. Seems I remember seeing on TV in recent years that perhaps it should have been kept up better.

[greeneyedDPhiE]

What I think is kind of interesting is the fact that Sigma Chi is not being forced to move. They are situated between Phi Delta Theta and Pi Kappa Alpha, I think. While I know they just recently built a huge house, would there be any other reason? I imagine each fraternity has a lot of money invested, not just Sigma Chi.

[IHeartUGA]

Sigma Chi is not being forced to move because the University can't: the stipulations of their lease keeps them there for at least another 40 years. They were the only fraternity on Lumpkin that had a lease that was written in such a way that the University counldn't make them relocate until the lease ends. I do hate it when fraternities or sororities have to move out of their houses like this because once letters on a house, that house means something to that organization forever. The up side to all of this is that these boys will get better (as in new and clean) houses on River Road (where Kappa Sigma and Alpha Epsilon Pi are currently located) in the University's attempt at creating a Greek Village.

[hoosier]

Greek houses sought by UGA

By Lee Shearer | Morris News Service

Tuesday, October 4, 2005




ATHENS, Ga. - The University of Georgia could pay more than $1 million for five fraternity houses on South Lumpkin Street, maybe a lot more.

The university wants access to the UGA-owned land beneath the houses and has asked the five fraternities to build new houses on UGA-owned lots on River Road.

The fraternities would have to pay to build new houses, though they'd pay little or nothing to lease the land under the 30-year agreements UGA is offering them.

Some of the rebuilding and moving costs will be covered by what the university is offering to pay for the existing houses, but the frats likely will have to raise additional funds, said Rodney Bennett, UGA's vice president for student affairs.

UGA has asked the fraternities to have their houses appraised, then compare those appraisals with ones done by professionals hired by UGA, Mr. Bennett said. If there's a wide disparity, a third appraisal would be conducted so the parties could meet on the price in the middle, according to UGA's proposal.

Only when the appraisals are completed will it be known how much the houses are worth and how much UGA will have to pay, Mr. Bennett said.

But a price of $300,000 for a fraternity house in good shape "would not be unreasonable," he said.

The fraternities involved - Chi Phi, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha and Tau Epsilon Phi - have not indicated whether they would accept the terms, but initial meetings between fraternity representatives and UGA officials have been courteous and collegial, he said. The groups are basically being asked to leave their homes, Mr. Bennett added.

"I don't want to give the idea they're happy as they can be." The fraternities see the handwriting on the wall, too, he said.

"I think they realize it's something that's going to happen," he said.

Mr. Bennett said he hopes the fraternities will come to like the River Road locations UGA is offering, and warm to the idea of having brand-new buildings.





From the Tuesday, October 4, 2005 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle



Correction
- An article about Joel Sonnenberg in The Augusta Chronicle's Religion section Saturday misidentified the location of an accident that critically burned him.
Kid of the Day
Kallie Nicole Lane is today's Kid of the Day.

[hoosier]

Frat passes on River Road plan

By LAUREN MORGAN
Published , October 26, 2005, 06:00:01 AM EDT


A member of one of the five fraternities being forced to relocate from Lumpkin Street said Tuesday night his fraternity will pass on the University’s offer to build a house on River Road.

“Kappa Alpha has decided to go forward with its own plans to move off campus and not take the University’s offer on River Road,” said Kevin Brady, a Kappa Alpha brother.

Brady did not say where Kappa Alpha will move or why the fraternity chose not to build a house on River Road.

The University plans to use the land where the five houses currently sit and gave the fraternities — Chi Phi, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Alpha, Tau Epsilon Phi and Kappa Alpha — the option of building new houses River Road. Kappa Alpha is the first fraternity to reject that offer.

Members of the four other fraternities, their alumni and University administrators met at the Alumni Association in Buckhead earlier Tuesday to go over prospective plans for the new houses to be constructed off of River Road.

“The purpose of the meeting was beginning to get response from the fraternities,” said Claudia Shamp, associate dean for Greek Life. “We are attempting to meet people’s needs as best we can.”

Representatives from the fraternities discussed the new location and the amenities they would like included in their new homes. Alpha Tau Omega, which was recently reinstated on campus, is currently living in a rental property on Lexington Road. They also had representatives present to discuss potential relocation of their fraternity on campus.

The proposed site is adjacent to the Kappa Sigma house already located on River Road.

A driveway would extend from the road forming a cul-de-sac behind Sanford Stadium.

House plans designed by University architects ranged from capacities of 10 live-in members to as many as 40 beds in the house. The largest proposed house — for 40 people — would be 14,000 square feet. All five lots could accommodate 40-person homes.

The University emphasized that these plans were subject to change and only concepts to get the fraternities to start thinking about what they want.

The fraternity houses would have traditional exteriors with columned front porches. The plans were for two-story houses with basements and all-new amenities inside.

Shamp said the fraternities need to explain their specific needs, such as single rooms or a larger chapter room.

While some fraternities asked for full kitchens and laundry rooms, some emphasized the importance of having study areas inside the house.

“Many fraternities already have study space in their current houses. Some want computer lab-type set ups. They were very specific with their needs,” she said.

Though the designs included plans for parking, there was only enough for 268 students — not nearly enough for five fraternities.

“Parking is always an issue for the University, so they’ll just have to work with it,” Shamp said.

No deadline for moving off campus has been set yet, but it is a three to five-year timespan to move a fraternity and build a new house.

Shamp said even though there is a strong interest, the University officials are not sure whether they will offer short or long-term leases.

[HoosierPhiSig]

Originally posted by hoosier
Used to be just the opposite at IU - all of those big houses were built with the Univ. providing cheap land, and guaranteeing the house mortgages.

They even had a brochure prepared and distributed to other campuses bragging about how the so-called "Indiana Plan" was a big success. The guarantees had never cost the school a buck.

That "living saint" now-dead Herman B Wells was a past pres of Sigma Nu, and long-time dean of students Robt. Shaffer was a great Sigma Chi.

yea ive heard that IU is being very cautious of investing more money and resources into the greek community because of the greek "slump" in the 90's. On the other side, IU is still growing. Last spring, IU had its largest enrollment in history. The university is running low on available land and buildings on and around campus. So I don't exactly blame them for looking out for IU's future as they grow.

At the same time though, there are over 5,000 people in the Greek community here. A little over 20% of IU is greek. Thats a HUGE demographic of IU's student population.