Pi Phi, Alpha Chi to have new homes

Two Panhellenic sororities will have new houses in the fall, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup said last week. The Pi Beta Phi sorority will be subletting from the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity through the University and the Alpha Chi Omega sorority will be moving "in between the [Sigma Alpha Epsilon] and Nu Sigma Nu fraternity houses on Spruce Street," Phaup said. Phaup said she does not know how long Pi Phi will occupy the PiKA house, but she did say that "they are contracting for one year." PiKA is currently serving a two-year suspension for hazing violations, and former brothers are prohibited from living in the house during the suspension. Pi Phi recently held Panhel rush in the house in January. Pi Phi President Meredith Fein, a College senior, could not be reached for comment. Andrea Dobin, president of the Alpha Chi Omega Housing Corporation, said Alpha Chi decided to move because there is no sprinkler system in the current house at 4040 Walnut Street. "To have a . . . fraternity or sorority house [recognized] by the University you must have a sprinkler system," she said. "It costs about $25,000 to $30,000 if you don't have a landlord who is going to do that." Dobin added the sorority's landlord will not pay for a sprinkler system and will not guarantee a long-term lease. She also said that the University had given the sorority a two-year waiver on the sprinkler rule, but the waiver is to expire in May. Phaup said the sorority is very happy about the decision to move. "They're really excited about it because they're going to be able to run a real good meal plan out of the house," she said. "They're actually having input into the the design of the house . . . They [wanted] to get into a University property and they've been working with contractors and design planning on the property." Dobin said the renovation on the new house, 3906 Spruce Street, will begin sometime in March and should be completed in time for the fall semester. She added that the new house will be bigger than the old house, with 20-22 beds instead of the 16 which the current house holds. The new house will also have a full kitchen and a full meal plan for both in-house and out-of-house sisters. Dobin added that while the new house is a "beautiful Victorian house," it is in need of substantial renovations, including a new sprinkler system. The sorority and the University will be paying for these renovations, Dobin said. Alpha Chi President Colleen Lynch could not be reached for comment.