Well, most of you probably have no idea but the Umass-Amherst Greek System (most notably the location of our very first chapter) has been shrinking over the last decade and a half.
The University of Mass. has bought half of the heart of our Greek System, namely the 5 main houses on "frat row", and will tear them down in a matter of days.
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Here's the story:
UMass buys 5 houses
Friday, October 06, 2006
By HOLLY ANGELO
hangelo@repub.com
AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts-Amherst has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with Alpha Tau Gamma Inc. to buy five fraternity houses on North Pleasant Street for $2.5 million.
The empty houses are located at 375, 387, 389, 395 and 401 N. Pleasant St. The structures are scheduled to be razed any day now as part of the sales agreement.
"We are satisfied," said James E. Mulcahy, treasurer of Alpha Tau Gamma Inc. (ATG Inc.), yesterday. "We felt from day one the property would be most valuable to UMass than anyone else."
Once ATG Inc. meets the terms of the agreement, a closing of the sale will take place.
After that, ATG Inc. will donate $500,001 to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture to establish an endowed professorship for the position of the director of the school.
The named professorship will be called the Alpha Tau Gamma Fred P. Jeffrey Chair , named after the former director who died in 1997.
Before the closing, the company must remove asbestos and any other hazardous materials from the houses, remove utilities, raze the houses, remove shrubs and plant grass.
Mulcahy said most of the utilities are gone, along with the shrubs. Remediation has also been carried out inside the houses.
Edward F. Blaguszewski, news and information director at UMass, said the university hopes to take possession of the property this fall. He called the purchase-and-sale agreement fair. He said there are no immediate plans to build on the 1.8-acre site.
"We feel this is an important piece of property for the future development of the university. It's adjacent to campus. We already have a presence in that area. It just makes sense," Blaguszewski said. "We may not use this property for one year, five years or 10 years."
Mulcahy said ATG Inc. first offered the property to UMass in January 2003 for $3 million.
"It took us awhile to come to an agreement," Mulcahy said.
Mulcahy said there is some nostalgia attached to the demolition of the homes, but it is part of the agreement.
"The building demolition will start imminently, maybe today or tomorrow or the beginning of next week," Mulcahy said.
Once the deal goes through, ATG Inc. plans on paying off its debt obligation, establishing the professorship, and maintaining its remaining property at 118 Sunset Ave. debt free.
End story
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Umass really isn't your typical Greek campus. The numbers of greeks are usually below 2%. In the history of Umass, there has only been 1 sorority that has survived without a physical residence (outside of fraternities focusing on ethnic makeup).
Some of you may suggest that the Greeks will move into the dorms with specific floors, etc., but the attitude and the physical makeup of the campus will never accomodate such a future.
The most ironic thing is that since the Greeks have been in decline and the houses shut down, Umass has moved up to #7 on the top party shool list AND crime involving university students and neighboring residents have GONE UP over 200% (almost 200 arrests in the first week of school alone this year).
A video of the current condition of frat row can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSeCzHrM5G4&eurl=
I guess what I am trying to say is to enjoy it while it lasts. Soon all physical memories of the greatest years of thousands of peoples lives will be erased. The memories will now live on in our alumni, friends and family.
So for all you current Greeks, slow down once in a while and enjoy it.
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