U of Alabama: Sorority Housing -- 4 Building Lots Coming?

[AnchorAlumna]

Yes. They have in mind bringing in a new group every other year, until there are...3 or 4 new ones, I think.
ETA: 3 more, total of 20 - got it - thanks Titchou!

[DTD Alum]

That is really exciting! I will admit, I am a HUGE nerd when it comes to fraternity and sorority housing...for those on the housing corporations or those that work with the chapters that will be getting the houses, please keep us updated! I'd love to hear what different options and ideas you all are bouncing around, as well as elevations/floor plans when they are ready, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I can't imagine that at a flagship school like Alabama that these houses will be anything short of phenomenal.

[AnchorAlumna]

Well, let's see...multiple elevators and an escalator from the foyer, granite countertops in bathrooms and each resident has her own bathroom with soaking tub and multiple showerheads, a 24-hour snack bar on each of the 5 floors, a swimming pool out back with slides and waterfalls and a grotto reached by swimming underwater...!!!

Just kiddin' with ya!
But it is fun to dream...

[carnation]

Oh yes, that's what my family wants for our next house, lol.

[Titchou]

And don't forget the stage that rises from the floor and drop down stage lights and sound for recruitment...24/7 concierge service, private heated and cooled parking garage with valet service....

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by Titchou

And don't forget the stage that rises from the floor and drop down stage lights and sound for recruitment...24/7 concierge service, private heated and cooled parking garage with valet service....

But of course!

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Well, let's see...multiple elevators and an escalator from the foyer, granite countertops in bathrooms and each resident has her own bathroom with soaking tub and multiple showerheads, a 24-hour snack bar on each of the 5 floors, a swimming pool out back with slides and waterfalls and a grotto reached by swimming underwater...!!!

Just kiddin' with ya!
But it is fun to dream...

Acacia at U of Illinois did something in this vein in the early 90's. Then they realized they couldn't pay for it, and sold it to the university. You can see the building on Chalmers, IIRC, with ACACIA still clearly carved into the stones that line the front porch.

(I don't know if it is a UIUC thing, but nobody ever removes letters or crests from houses on campus. They are sometimes covered up, but never removed)

[KSUViolet06]

How exciting that Delta Gamma already has a house planned!

PS. The Bama DG colony FB page has a lot of updated info about the colony:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/bamadeltagamma?v=info

[exlurker]

The campus paper reports the nitty-gritty dollar amounts of bonds and loans for the four sorority houses, as well as for a new Phi Delta Theta house (which I hadn’t seen mentioned previously):

http://www.cw.ua.edu/2010/11/08/witt...rollment-goal/

Excerpts from article:

. . . The Board also approved the construction of a new Phi Delta Theta Fraternity house, located on the corner of University Boulevard and Second Avenue.

The University will fund the project via future revenue bonds. A bond of about $10 million will finance Alpha Delta Pi’s construction, which will be in the form of a loan to the sorority in the amount of about $7 million. The remainder of the balance will be accounted for by the appraised value of the existing house, as well as cash reserves.

Alpha Gamma Delta’s construction requires a bond of about $8 million. The sorority will receive a loan in the amount of about $6 million. The remainder of the balance will be accounted for by the appraised value of the existing house, as well as cash reserves.

Delta Delta Delta’s house will be funded by a bond of about $12 million, with their loan allocation around $9 million. The appraised value of the existing house, as well as cash reserves, will account for Delta Delta Delta’s difference, as well.

Delta Gamma, which will come to the University in fall 2011, was granted a future revenue bond from the University for the construction of their initial sorority house. The nearly $6 million bond will be in the form of a $5,750,000 loan. The remainder of the balance will be offset by funds provided from Delta Gamma’s National Housing Corporation.

Phi Delta Theta was granted about $6 million in future revenue bonds in the form of a loan of about $5 million. The difference will be accounted for by the appraisal of the current house in addition to the fraternity’s cash reserves.

[victoriana]

I would really love to see some of the layouts/schematics/mock-ups of the houses. The sorority houses at Bama are absolutely gorgeous... we have nothing like that at my school!

[AnchorAlumna]

It's too early for that...maybe in another 6 months.

[Low C Sharp]

Victoriana, a number of the NPC chapters at UT-Knoxville have layouts/elevations of their new houses on their web sites. I enjoy them, too.

I really hope we get them for Alabama! The Theta chapter there has a lot of renovations planned, and you can see the layouts in some pictures behind alumnae online, but they haven't posted the actual images themselves.
________
apartments in Pattaya

[exlurker]

Bama trustees discuss and approve sorority housing; trustees also approve resolutions on construction of Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi houses; see

http://cw.ua.edu/2011/02/06/ua-syste...state-funding/

The article ^ is accompanied by a drawing / rendering of the planned Alpha Gam house, which looks more or less hu-normous in a traditional way.

Excerpts:

. . . the UA System board of trustees approved resolutions to enable four sororities to relocate to the proposed Magnolia Development behind the President’s Mansion.

Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Delta Delta and Delta Gamma will have each of their lots situated along Magnolia Drive, which will require the demolition of Wilson, Byrd, Parker-Adams and New Hall, according to the Office of Greek Affairs website.

A graphic that rendered the Alpha Gamma Delta house upon completion depicted a building that rivals the height of the President’s Mansion as seen from University Blvd., which incited trustees to question whether the sorority house would diminish the grandeur of the President’s Mansion.

Trustee James Wilson III said the construction of the sorority houses would lead to the clearing of trees behind the President’s Mansion, which could impair the singular focus given to the mansion from the perspective of University Blvd.

“Whenever you do any kind of construction, you’re going to lose some trees,” he said. “If the president is fine with it, I’m fine with it, but it’s a legitimate point.”

University President Robert Witt said he finds the Magnolia Development agreeable and that the University will work with the facilities department to restore the greenery behind the mansion.

. . . “We will provide for landscaping that will restore for the attractiveness component that will be lost.”
Mike Lanier, vice president of Hoar Program Management who witnessed the meeting, said the board holds a concern for aesthetic appeal.

“[The board] wants to make sure that any new project fits in with the character and image of the University,” he said.

The board also approved resolutions related to the construction of the Phi Delta Theta house and Sigma Chi house to be located adjacent to the Pi Kappa Alpha house. Each house will cost $6,260,625 to construct. . . .

[Tulip86]

That is one HUGE house!