A new home for a WSU fraternity

The fraternity Sigma Chi will celebrate 100 years at Washington State University by building an on-campus chapter house from the ground up, which organizers tout as the first such fraternity project at WSU in a generation.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the $6.2 million project is scheduled for 3 p.m. today on the site at 810 NE California St.

Founded in 1919, Sigma Chi’s WSU chapter first built a large, colonial style home for its students in the 1930s. It gradually fell into disrepair.

Jeff Burnside, a Sigma Chi and WSU alumnus who graduated in 1979, is directing the construction project and said when the old structure was demolished in 2003, it was a blow to morale. The members have since been housed in a small house next to the vacant lot where the demolished house once stood and where the new house will be built.

“It really hurt us,” Burnside said. “it was heartbreaking, and I think we had a yearning to try to do something.”

Burnside said efforts to build a new house have stalled multiple times in the past, largely because of difficulties in fundraising and financing. When tapped to lead the project nearly three years ago, Burnside said he assembled a team of professionals — all Sigma Chis. They secured a loan from Spokane Teachers Credit Union and reached out to hundreds of donors who gave nearly $2 million.

Much of the design for the new building was inspired by the old chapter house, Burnside said, most notably a broad entry stairway flanked by tall white pillars. The structure will be three floors, including a basement with high ceilings where chapter meetings will be held.

“It’s remarkably — by design — similar to our old house, which conjures so much emotion and nostalgia,” Burnside said. “We found that once we released that design, it was so similar to the old one that the donations just started coming in.”

Burnside said organizers will need to raise another $500,000 to support furnishings, fixtures and other interior and exterior amenities and will continue to collect donations to reduce the long-term debt burden on future students who live in the house. He said he expects the new chapter house to be a boon both to WSU and Sigma Chis for generations.

“I can totally see like, for the next 75 to 100 years, this is where all the house pictures will be taken, the special events will be held there and announcements — that sort of thing,” he said. “When you walk in, it will have this magnificent grand entry; two stories high with twin staircases and it will be just beautiful.”

Sigma Chi will celebrate its centennial reunion on Sept. 20-21, an event organizers expect to be the largest gathering of WSU Sigma Chis in its 100-year history.

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.