Will rent home from U. The Delta Tau Delta fraternity will be moving a little closer to campus next fall, after completion of renovations to a new house located two doors down from their previous residence at 126-28 S. 39th St. When the property went up for sale last year, DTD's house corporation purchased the building. It was then sold to the University at "nominal cost," according to DTD Vice President and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Jason Brenner. DTD will bear the cost of renovations itself using money raised through fund-raising and loans, and will rent the house from the University under its official rules and regulations. "The house completely needs to be gutted and rebuilt," Brenner said. "We're putting hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovating the place." Although the former DTD house suffered some damage from a fire in November, members stressed that they have been planning to move into a new house since the chapter recolonized at Penn in 1991. "The project requires a lot of design and construction," Real Estate Director Chris Mason said. "Right now we're developing a plan and a budget." The plan calls for the renovation of the southernmost two units of the University-owned building on 39th Street between Walnut and Sansom streets. According to DTD President Norm Hetrick, a College senior, the project will merge the units into one. The new house will feature a living room, dining room, library and a terraced backyard, and will house 29 brothers. This year, the brothers are living in a house formerly owned by the Sigma Delta Tau sorority at 4033 Spruce Street. Both Hetrick and Mason said it is too early to estimate how much the project will cost overall. Hetrick added that the University is overseeing the costs in order to control expenses. In addition, the architect is working closely with the contractors. "They just make sure it's all feasible so we don't run over budget," he said. Hetrick said the chapter has taken an active role in the planning. DTD has formed a committee in order to supervise the project, and members have met several times during the summer. The committee is ensuring that safety issues are taken into account in the construction of the new house. The former house did not have a proper sprinkler system. "The University said that they never should have let us live there," Hetrick said, referring to the former house. The alumni were particularly interested in having a house that was similar to their old house on Locust Walk, where the Sweeten Alumni Center is currently located, Hetrick said. He added that he anticipates other Greek organizations will eventually occupy the units next door to the new house. Hetrick said this sort of project was recently completed for both SDT, whose new house is at 39th and Walnut streets, and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house at 39th and Spruce streets. Mason said the University does not actively seek out this kind of work, but is responsive if the need arises. "As opportunities arise, we investigate them," he said. "If it's economically feasible we'll work them." Hetrick said working with the University in this manner has been very productive. "They are very cooperative, very nice," he said. "It's been great working with everybody."
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