4 Univ of So CAROLINA fraternities ready to build in new village

[hoosier]

Thu, Jul. 07, 2005

Published on: 08/17/2000
4 USC fraternities ready to build in new village


Four fraternities have arranged financing so they can be among the first in the 15-house Greek village behind USC's coming wellness center.

They don't have to start building anytime soon, though, even though there's heavy equipment on the site, moving earth to lay down roads.


"We're cranking down there," said Jerry Brewer, USC's student life director and coordinator for the Greek village.

Fraternities planning to move in are Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Nu. All have chosen sites running perpendicular to Blossom Street but not bordering the road.


The four 10,000-square-foot houses will be three-story buildings with red bricks and white columns.


Each fraternity arranged its own financing. USC will lease the land and manage the 20- to 40-bed houses, turning over room fees to the fraternities, so they can pay their mortgages.


ATO selected a lot with north-south exposure and far removed from Blossom Street. Alumnus Eddie Bignon manages ATO's housing corporation and said his group hasn't yet signed a contract. When it does, it will have a year to start construction on its million-dollar house.


"Just like there's individuals in a housing complex, there will be individual corporations (in the Greek village)," Bignon said. Some of the early-bird corporations may even have houses up before ATO starts building, he said - maybe within a year.