Kappa Sigma fraternity and the University of Denver have reached an agreement to demolish the existing house and build a new house on the same lot.

The new house will be located further west of the existing house in line with Penrose Library across Evans Avenue.

This will enable the university to provide a second access to the law school under construction behind Old Row.

The entrance will only allow cars to turn right from Evans into the facility, and exit right as well. The Asbury Avenue entrance will be a full-access entrance and exit to the law school.

Beta Theta Pi, Lambda Chi Alpha and Sigma Alpha Epsilon will not be affected by Kappa Sigma’s demolition or the creation of the new law school entrance from Evans. However, the building of the law school has limited parking spaces for students living in the fraternity houses.

“There’s no parking for fraternities,” said Spencer Martin, a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. “The school does offer it, but it’s nowhere near the fraternities.”

Parking for the fraternities is located on the other side of the Ritchie Center, at the corner of University Boulevard and Jewell Avenue.

Providing a second access to the law school was not the sole reason for the rebuilding of the Kappa Sigma house. Due to City and County of Denver fire and safety requirements, it would have cost over $100,000 to renovate. Since the building is already aging and in poor condition, it would not have been a good use of funds to continue upgrading the house. DU has already spent about $400,000 for upgrades in the other 11 university-owned Greek houses (Delta Gamma and Alpha Gamma Delta own their own houses).

The demolition of the house will begin as soon as the details of the agreement are completed.

Ideally, the new fraternity house will begin construction in June 2003. It could then be occupied upon completion in the fall of 2004.

There will also be a new model implemented for the new fraternity building. It will be comprised of two components: a residence hall, which the university will be responsible for funding, and a common space funded by the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

“That way, the fraternity knows where its dollars are being spent, and the university knows where its dollars are being spent,” said Burrell.

A similar model was applied to three new houses at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri. The other houses on Old Row are considering the model as well, since they are also older and in poor condition, but nothing immediate has been decided because they are still compliant with the fire and safety codes.

“At the end, we’ll have a much nicer-looking area,” Burrell said.

Kappa Sigma’s residence area will have a look parallel to the new King Lee and Shirley Nelson residence hall, with suite-style rooms connected by a common bathroom and kitchen area.