New fraternity housing coming
Published 8:39 pm Saturday, April 18, 2009
After considering several locations for new fraternity housing, Troy University has picked a destination—and one that won’t have any different impacts on local residents.
Beginning in August, Troy University will level the current fraternity houses on Pell Avenue and construct a new Fraternity Village.
The school had previously considered moving homes to property located by the Pi Kappa Phi house on Madison Avenue or onto the Troy University Golf Course, but Senior Vice Chancellor of Student Services and Administration Richard Federinko said the decision was ultimately to stay in the same area.
“There will be good visibility and help beautify that side of campus,” Federinko said. “And it will keep the students close to the dining facility and close to the heart of campus.”
Federinko said the new facility will have seven separate fraternity houses neighboring one another where the current ones stand. They will be similar in size and structure, but Federinko said there would be some slight variations.
This project, which has been in the works for around 10 years, still has several steps to go before construction begins. Federinko said plans are quickly falling into place.
Within a year’s time, he hopes the project will be complete.
Not all fraternities on Troy’s campus will be a part of the new housing, but there will be room to expand in the future.
“Plans are this is the way they’ll be for the foreseeable future, but there are properties nearby where other houses could be if they wanted to add,” Federinko said.
The housing will be funded initially on a bond issue, Federinko said, but through rent costs, students will pay off the note. The total cost will be around $8 million.
Each home will have 24 beds, a social room, a chapter meeting room, a kitchenette and laundry facilities.
During the construction year, Federinko said students currently living in fraternity houses will have to relocate. Since the school typically faces a housing shortage at the beginning of each school year, Federinko suggested students begin looking now.