ETSU chapter, Iota Omnicron Zeta

[ZetaPhi708]

gets their new house...

http://www.iotaomicron.com/housing.asp

[Tom Earp]

Looks much bigger, but from the web site, I kind of like the front of the old one!

Bigger and hopefully newer is better!

[GammaZeta]

Great house!!!

The best thing about it is that it is actually a HOUSE.

I've been in many fraternity houses throughout New England. The one thing I like is that many of them are converted from old mansions or houses. They have a certain "charm" and "home-like" characteristic to them.

The one type of house that I cannot stand is the dorm style, concrete walls, 10 x 10 square room that looks more like an institution than a home.

A fraternity house should have character, history, most important, flaws. You want brothers to carve initials into a closet door. You want the memory of some stain on the ceiling. It is so tough to get that type of history and memory from a dorm style house. Not that it can't be done, but it is so difficult.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by GammaZeta

Great house!!!

The best thing about it is that it is actually a HOUSE.

I've been in many fraternity houses throughout New England. The one thing I like is that many of them are converted from old mansions or houses. They have a certain "charm" and "home-like" characteristic to them.

The one type of house that I cannot stand is the dorm style, concrete walls, 10 x 10 square room that looks more like an institution than a home.

A fraternity house should have character, history, most important, flaws. You want brothers to carve initials into a closet door. You want the memory of some stain on the ceiling. It is so tough to get that type of history and memory from a dorm style house. Not that it can't be done, but it is so difficult.

Oh Do I agree with you on that point!

Cement Block Building with names or letters, GAG!

Quaintness is a big part of a Chapter house, not like a dorm or prison!

[JonoBN41]

I agree that big, old, ramshackled wood houses are quaint, but they're also expensive to maintain, sometimes impractical, and can be fire traps.

My mom was in a nursing home - a very nice place with an entry foyer, large dining room, offices. It was built in a horseshoe shape with a nice courtyard, and had lots of semi-private rooms. I looked around one day and thought, "Damn. This would make a pretty good fraternity house!"

And if the chapter ever closes, you could sell it as a nursing home.

[dever860]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Oh Do I agree with you on that point!

Cement Block Building with names or letters, GAG!

Quaintness is a big part of a Chapter house, not like a dorm or prison!

Welcome to ohio state home, of the 4 story brick shoe box, ugliest building on 15th. Ill be damned if someone can knock it down though. Solid concrete, perfect for them damn buckeye kids.

[GammaZeta]

Yeah, Jono is right. The classic fraternity houses are a thing of the past. That kind of detail and craftsmanship is just not feasible in today's society, ESPECIALLY not for a fraternity house.

In Amherst, right by the town green/common, there are HUGE mansions that used to belong to the Amherst College fraternities before they were banned some 40 years ago.

I'm talking beautiful, turn of the century architecture, with detail like you wouldn't believe.

They've been hollowed out and are dorms now. But the outsides remain.