The following letter has been sent to a relatively small group of alumni to test the waters regarding the possible renovation of the chapter house. This issue of The Wolverine Sig presents a good opportunity to share with all of you the efforts bei ng undertaken to restore Theta Theta. We are calling the letter "The Case for Support" and the members of the house corporation are very interested in your feedback. Please review the letter and contact any of the br others listed at the end of this article with your questions.
The Case for Support
Dear Brothers,
The Sigma Chi House at 548 South State Street was built in 1912 and has served the Theta Theta Chapter for 85 years. The structure continues to house the undergraduate brothers of Theta Theta, but the decrepit conditions create problems for our current members and the House Corporation. The ability to attract and house quality future Sigma Chis is becoming more difficult.
The House Corporation hired the architectural/engineering firm of Peters Architectural Group (PAG) in December of 1996 to perform a full feasibility study on the Theta Theta house. The study was completed in February 1997 and contained engineering reports for the structure and systems, floor plans and schematics, code requirements, schedule and esitmated renovation costs. Also, a cost comparison was performed comparing the renovation of the current house vs. a new chapter house at a new site. Belo w is the list of findings of the feasibility study:
Following is a list of the main recommendations from the feasibilty study to solve these problems:
The recommended construction schedule for this project is to begin demolition in May 1998 or 1999. The construction work will last about 12-14 months and occupancy can resume in September 1999 or 2000. This schedule required that we lease an alternate hou se for one school year for the undergraduate chapter during construction.
The total cost estimate for the renovation project from PAG is $2,747,264 and does not include repayment of the existing house mortage or the additional housing costs which will be incurred during construction. The cost comparison between the renovation o f the house at 548 South State and a new chapter house of the same size indicated that the higher cost of a new chapter house may be partially offset by the capital from the sale of our lot to the University and purchase of a cheaper lot in a poorer locat ion. However, there is no significant money savings associated with this strategy.
This renovation master plan and cost estimate is based on the basic requirements of a chapter house for 50 brothers that meets the required building, fire and ADA codes, provides a comfortable living and learning environment and will last another 60 years or more with routine maintenance. The money saved due to the more energy efficient house and systems will allow the House Corporation to restucture the bidget to include an adequate maintenance and capital improvement fund that has been beyond our reach for the last several decades.
Since the fall of 1877 when two cousins, Orville S. Brumback and Bion L. Meredith (188), laid the foundation of one of Michigan's most historic fraternities, Theta Theta's brotherhood has only grown stronger through the years. The chapter first thrust its elf itself into history in 1892 when the brothers succesfully made then President Grover Cleveland an honorary member of Sigma Chi. As the 20th century dawned, Theta Theta established itself as an athletic-oriented fraternity, a reputation that would last for decades with such names as Fielding Yost, Ron Kramer, and Bump Elliot. Yost coached teams, and many later Wolverine squads carried the Sigma Chi banner, as many were Theta Thetas and helped build Michigan's unmatched collegiate athletice excellence. The year 1913 saw the occupancy of the chapter house - the first house to be built specifically to be a fraternity house - and remains a home to Theta Theta even today. The chapter house has seen thousands of Theta Thetas and dozens of Pep Rallies, Derby Days, Homecomings, Mother's Days, initiations and social functions. The chapter celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1977 by dedicating a refurbished chapter house. Theta Theta did, however, fall slightly from its par of excellence during the early 1990s w hen the chapter was placed on probation. Since that time, the brothers have successfully rebounded from that low point to regain prominence at Michigan.
For the record, Theta Theta is unmatched in its historic importance to Sigma Chi. Five Theta Theta have served as Grand Consul: Orville S. Brumback, Orla D. Taylor, Charles Alling, Hamilton Douglas and Charles M. Thatcher. Six Theta Theta have become Cons tantine Sigs: Thurlow E. Coon, Ferris H. Fitch, Frank L. Grant, Harry L. Hallock, Gilbert T. Jerome and Charles M. Thatcher. And don't forget the many Significant Sigs of Theta Theta: John R. Edman, Gen. Dwight Beach, Chalmers W. Elliot, Martin S. Hayden, Frank Murphy, Goff Smith, Leland I. Doan, Peter R. Elliot, Frank M. McHale, Russell B. Read and Orla B. Taylor. While this list is impressive we cannot forget the others who have colored our history: our house dogs like Tina and Thatcher, our friends fro m Walter Harrison to today's Kathy and "Father," and the many women who have served as Sweethearts of Theta Theta. Finally, this history of Theta Theta is not so much written in books or records, but in the memories of alumni brothers. Your pledge term, i nitiation, college sweethearts, and football Saturdays are all connected to your former home in Ann Arbor.
For many of us the time spent at the chapter house remains the fondest memory of our college days. Theta Theta provided a location where our brotherhood could grow and lifelong friendships began. At Theta Theta, our college experience included a brotherho od with people from all over the country. It gave us the opportunity to take on the responsibility of being a big brother or to hold one of the chapter offices. You can walk into 548 South State today and visit the chapter room where you were initiated or see the room where you used to live with one of your best friends many years ago. As members of the House Corporation, we are at the house monthly, and we are pleased to see a group of students developing a brotherhood and maintaining a tradition that is now 120 years old. We must restore our house to its former glory, and we need the help of every Theta Theta. If we are able to restore it, the House Corporation is committed to a high level of monitoring to ensure that its physical appearance and structu re continue to be a matter of pride to all of us.
We are well aware that tax deductibility of financial pledges is perhaps the preeminent issue. However, to meet our schedule, we must release The Case for Support now while we are undertaking efforts to determine the tax ramifications.
If you have specific questions you can contact us with your questions and we will forward them to the appropriate member of the House Corporation.
The easiest way to contact someone is with the new Theta Theta Chapter of Sigma Chi Directory, which was mailed to all 1,029 of our living alumni. If you haven't received your copy, send us your address and we will we ship a copy to you.