Psi Upsilon, U. examining details of Castle contract

The house at 300 South 36th Street, better known as the Castle, has always been identified with the Psi Upsilon fraternity. But the house and land it lies on is actually owned by the University. Associate Treasurer Christopher Mason said last night Psi Upsilon, which used to own the house, turned over ownership of it to the University in the 1950s. And now that Psi Upsilon is reapplying for recognition from the University, a contract signed at that time is being called into question. And other questions, ranging from where new fraternity brothers will be housed to whether Psi Upsilon will move back into the Castle, do not seem to have easy answers. The agreement between the University and Psi Upsilon discussed, among other things, where the fraternity would be housed if they ever lost the Castle. According to Mason, the agreement states the University would have to provide Psi Upsilon with another property and pay for any moving costs. "If you were to take the Castle down brick by brick and move it across the street and build it again, whatever it cost today, the University would have to pay for it," he said. The agreement states that Psi Upsilon would have the option of moving into the vacant building, currently located at 3609-11 Locust Walk, if it did not move back into the Castle. Mason added that the agreement even offers Psi Upsilon the land which was once 3613 Locust Walk -- currently an alleyway -- as part of a future housing deal. If Psi Upsilon wanted to move into 3609-11-13 Locust Walk, Mason said the University would have to build and pay for the new structure which would have to be erected at 3613 Locust Walk. He added, though, it is not uncommon in the past for fraternities and sororities to enter into reversionary agreements. Many fraternities and sororities gave up private ownership of their houses in order to avoid real estate taxes, he added. In most other cases, Mason said the fraternities and sororities simply agreed to be paid a specified monetary settlement if they ever lost their house. Mason said he did not know of any other agreements like the one between Psi Upsilon and the University. "This is a good one," he said. Phillip Timon, president of Psi Upsilon of Philadelphia, said last night that the fraternity must first be re-recognized before worrying about real estate. "Once we get provisional recognition than real estate becomes the bigger issue," Timon said. But he added that if Psi Upsilon is re-recognized, the fraternity would either want to move back into the Castle or 3609-11 Locust Walk. "If we lose the house, the University has to give us 3609-11 Locust Walk," he said. Mason said he believes Psi Upsilon would want to move back into the Castle instead of relocating to another property. And negotiations are presently ongoing between the University's General Counsel Office and the fraternity about the issue of housing. Associate General Counsel Neil Hamburg refused to comment about the negotiations last night. Mason said the major stumbling block is the University expects the fraternity to pay for renovations done on the house by the University. "When Psi Upsilon moved out, the University spent an inordinate amount of money to bring the property up to standards," he said. "The University paid and expects to be reimbursed," Mason added. The Community Service Living Learning Program is currently housed in the Castle. And Deputy Vice Provost George Koval said the program will be located in the Castle again next year.