By Christy CastellanosContributor
By the year 2006, the vacant lot located next to Greek Circle onCollege Avenue will be occupied by a 1.5-acre housing complex, whichwill house up to 215 sorority members.
The Sorority Row housing project is estimated to break ground bythe end of this year. San Diego State Foundation is hoping theproject will be ready by Spring 2006 so residing sororities Alpha ChiOmega, Delta Gamma, Kappa Delta and Sigma Kappa can move into acomplex which will be walking distance from school.
Eachhouse will include a private courtyard, living room, dining room,large kitchen, laundry room and bathroom. Attached to each chapterhouse will be one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments for thewomen living in the sorority houses. Each apartment will consist of aliving room, dining room, deck, kitchen, dishwasher, microwave oven,stove/oven, refrigerator, telephone and Internet access.
Sorority members who would like to live outside of the sororityhouse can live in the detached apartment complex, which will beseparated from the actual houses. Other amenities planned for theresidents include 173 underground parking spaces, a pool area and aspa.
The $25 million project has been in development since 1993 throughthe foundation and is a part of the College Community RedevelopmentProject. According to Theresa Nakata, director of Community andPublic Relations, Sorority Row was created to meet students' housingneeds. In addition, some of the sorority houses are being leased bythe alumni and in some cases, the alumni no longer want to carry someof the costs that come with leasing those properties out.
Sorority members and alumni were involved in designing each houseto meet the specific needs of the residents.
Nakata said the Sorority Row project is very different from theFraternity Row project; however, some aspects will function the same.For instance, the parking structure will reside underneath thecomplex just as it does in Fraternity Row.
Another plus for sorority members moving to Sorority Row will bethat they will no longer have to contend with some of thecomplications that come with living in houses that in some cases aremore than 50 years old.
Buthow do the women that might actually be living in the new houses feelabout Sorority Row?
Tara Donovan, a theater junior and member of Delta Gamma, said shethinks the new houses are going to be a positive experience.
"I think it's better," She said. "If we buy our house in SororityRow, dues will go down. I think it will increase greek life and morepeople will want to rush because the houses will be nicer."
Other concerns in the sorority community include the sense ofcomfort and community that will be diminished by some of theimpersonal aspects about living in Sorority Row.
Donovan said she doesn't agree with the concerns.
"If anything, it's gonna be more inviting," Donovan said.
She said she looks forward to the new house because members whodon't live there will feel more comfortable in the community livingroom. In the current house, she said members who don't live thereusually don't hang out there unless there's an event or meeting.
Residents will be paying around the same amount as Piedra Del Solresidents, roughly about $450-$500 per month, Nakata said. Accordingto Donovan, on average, most girls currently pay about $300-$400 permonth. However, the current cost sorority members pay includes mealsand bills.
"When we do move to Sorority Row we will be paying for utilitiesand I'm pretty sure we won't be having a house cook," she said.
She said she thinks a lot of people liked to live in the oldersorority houses because they were cheaper than living in theresidence halls, apartments or houses near SDSU.
Despite the many different opinions concerning Sorority Row, thetruth is that the project is under way and developers hope that bythe year 2006, it will become a new member of the constantly changingcampus.
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