Alpha Sigma Phi at Iowa State moving out chapter facility

[ISUKappa]

The Phi chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi at Iowa State has decided to close the physical chapter structure at the end of the fall semester due to low numbers, but will remain an active chapter.

Alpha Sigma Phi to move out of its house

At the end of the fall semester, members of the Phi chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity will be moving out of their house on Sunset Drive, but the chapter will remain active.

The fraternity has decided to move out because of low occupancy.

The chapter built on an addition when they moved into the house 11 or so years ago. This could be good news for Sigma Nu. I believe they'd wanted to recolonize at Iowa State and now might have the possibility to buy their old house back.

[LaneSig]

Considering it is the only fraternity house on Sorority Circle, you would think lots of guys would want to join Alpha Sig in order to live there.

[banditone]

That is awesome! Well, I mean, I feel bad for Alpha Sig.

But the Sigma Nu chapter there is starting their recolonization effort and I had wondered what they would do about housing. That is a great house and location and it sucked that they had to sell.

Their alumni are really organized, have money built up and really have their act together.

[Preston327]

As a non-Greek, this has always kind of confused me. Aren't chapter houses built to spec for the organization with their letters and/or coat of arms everywhere? That'd certainly make selling it a bit awkward for the buyer.

[banditone]

Sometimes, but not always. And many times that stuff can easily be changed out - letters come off and new ones go on.

It's when the letters/badge/etc go into concrete that it becomes costly to change.

My question after reading the article is this: Just because you move out doesn't mean your bills stop. I'd assume the alumni core has money to float the house until they can lease it or sell it.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by banditone

Sometimes, but not always. And many times that stuff can easily be changed out - letters come off and new ones go on.

It's when the letters/badge/etc go into concrete that it becomes costly to change.

My question after reading the article is this: Just because you move out doesn't mean your bills stop. I'd assume the alumni core has money to float the house until they can lease it or sell it.

I can't see many bills if there is no occupancy.

[bluefish81]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

The Phi chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi at Iowa State has decided to close the physical chapter structure at the end of the fall semester due to low numbers, but will remain an active chapter.

Alpha Sigma Phi to move out of its house


The chapter built on an addition when they moved into the house 11 or so years ago. This could be good news for Sigma Nu. I believe they'd wanted to recolonize at Iowa State and now might have the possibility to buy their old house back.

I think I'd read that Sigma Nu is already up to 30 members, so I'm sure they'd love to get their old house back. Having been in their house when it was still owned by Sigma Nus and then after Alpha Sigs spent all that money renovating it - if half of the renovations are still in place, Sigma Nus will be getting a great deal if they're able to buy it back.

It's also not that uncommon for different chapters at Iowa State to rent to other chapters. Sigma Pi rented from Pikes and Phi Psis before finally buying a chapter house when Delt Sigs sold their house to them when they left campus.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

I can't see many bills if there is no occupancy.

Even empty, wouldn't there be ---
propery taxes,
security guard / service (assuming that the house corporation has even a grain of common sense),
heat,
sidewalk maintenance, snow / ice removal to avert slip-and fall lawsuits,
a liitle electricity,
a little water,
insurance,
etc.?

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by Preston327

As a non-Greek, this has always kind of confused me. Aren't chapter houses built to spec for the organization with their letters and/or coat of arms everywhere? That'd certainly make selling it a bit awkward for the buyer.

The house the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter lives in here (which was rented to the Alpha Gamma Rhos) has remnants on the fireplace of Pi Beta Phi and it isn't that big a deal, nor is it an issue that the Kappa Delta's live in a kite shaped house. Things happen, like building new houses, selling houses, or renting houses in places without lots of open land.