Interesting Debate in the University of Minnesota

[moe.ron]

University, fraternity. . .history?

Terry Collins, Star Tribune

The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission will take a tough test next month: whether to designate 33 properties near the University of Minnesota, including century-old fraternity and sorority houses, as historic landmarks.

The question is being considered despite overwhelming vocal objection from many of the Greek organizations on campus. Members say historic designation would make upkeep more expensive than renovation.

"We didn't ask for this," Lynn Swan, a member of the Coalition for Nonprofit Student Housing, said at a public hearing conducted by the Preservation Commission on Tuesday evening at City Hall.

"Designating the past jeopardizes the future," said Swan, whose group represents concerns from the Greek-letter organizations.

The commission delayed its decision on whether the properties, mostly fraternity and sorority houses located either on or near University Avenue SE. between Oak Street and Interstate Hwy. 35W, are historic landmarks.

The debate began last year after the Delta Tau Delta fraternity approached the city with plans to rebuild. The fraternity said it decided to rebuild its house, at 1717 University Av. SE., after conducting a yearlong study, said Brett Hildreth, a coalition board member and Delta Tau Delta alumnus. Its decision came after it had spent $500,000 on renovations, he said.

This prompted the commission, which recommends buildings or sections of the city to the City Council for historic designation, to conduct its own six-month study on other fraternity and sorority houses that might meet its criteria.

Most of the Greek-letter houses were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Tuesday, Carole Zellie, a landscape researcher who conducted the commission's study, called the various Georgian, Neoclassical Greek and Tudor-style houses "substantial," and "impressive."

Zellie told the commission that the historical integrity of the homes, "once the political epicenter of the city," was worth saving.

She was supported by Florence Littman, who argued that as a resident near Fraternity Row for more than 40 years, she had some claim to the houses as well.

"I am appalled you think that those buildings don't belong to me as much as those who live in them," she said. "They belong to the neighborhood, because we are all dependent upon each other."

Littman went on to dispute claims by some that the organizations must improve their houses to attract new members and remain competitive with newer housing sites on campus.

Speaking on behalf of students, John Kokkinen, president of the university's Inter Fraternity Council and a member of Beta Theta Phi, said that a majority of his peers are against the designation.

He called it an "unnecessary burden," saying that maintaining a designated historical site as required can cripple most community-service organizations, which also are nonprofits.

"We're well aware of the historic significance of these buildings," Kokkinen said. "Why is there sudden doubt that we don't know?"

Commissioner Kelly Lindquist said that he was impressed with how the students spoke with "passion and soul" and that the commission will take everything into consideration.

"It's going to be a hard decision," he said.

Terry Collins is at tcollins@startribune.com.