Since 2005, when the Greek Court Redevelopment Task Force settled on a vision for a new Greek Village, students, alumni and the University have worked to put the plan in action.
Greek students and faculty are welcoming the new village because of the problems with the current houses.
John Rupert, treasurer of Sigma Nu, “wanted a new house specifically because we didn’t have a house.”
Other sororities and fraternities need new houses because the current ones are simply too old and costly.
“The facilities that we had were really out of date,” Associate Director for Greek Life Shelly Dobek said. “We spent about eight million dollars on renovations. The new site will offer twenty individual units … townhomes, and twelve to fourteen apartments.”
Other than having updated housing, the new Greek Village will offer a community center as a meeting space, outdoor pavilions, a basketball court and a volleyball court.
The property will not be restricted for use by Greeks only, so non-Greeks may have the opportunity to use some of the available resources featured in the village.
The deteriorating economy has been the plan’s worst enemy thus far according to Howard Pickett, Vice-Chairman of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and an alumni of NCSU’s Sigma Nu.
“It’s been difficult to fundraise,” Pickett said. “All the plans have been drawn and approved by the Board of Trustees.”
Rupert, a junior in business administration, said the only thing construction is waiting on is money.
“They can’t raise the funds,” Rupert said. “As soon as they raise the funds we’ll be ready for construction.”
Budget cuts have also affected the University’s ability to provide financial support for the project.
Dobek said there is a “one year possible delay” if the economy continues to prevent funding from coming through.
“We remain pretty optimistic,” Dobek said. “The University is basically splitting the cost of the infrastructure 50/50.”
And because the alumni and the University are paying for most of the project, members of the sororities and fraternities on campus do not have to take an additional dip into their wallets.
That means that dues will not skyrocket, which would cause more financial problems for the members who are already struggling to support their house and pay for tuition and fees.
“That’s been a big plus for us,” Rupert said.
Dobek said construction on Phase One of the five phase project is wrapping up and that landscaping should be finished in early October.
There will be a groundbreaking ceremony in late September for the one of the first chapters getting a house, Sigma Nu.
The project is scheduled to be completed by 2018.