A university decision to give Alpha Delta Pi a larger house has left some 710 Emerson residents feeling angry and kept in the dark.
Until a few weeks ago, the new campus sorority had plans of taking over 1856 Orrington Ave. next year. When the renovation costs rose, Northwestern administrators offered the sorority another option: moving into 710 Emerson St. But Emerson residents said they were not notified of the switch.
“It came as a really big shock,” said Charla Scott, a Weinberg freshman and president of 710 Emerson. Scott said she was more upset by the lack of information than by the loss of the building.
Renovating the house at 1856 Orrington would have cost ADPi about $1.1 million, according to Vicki Martin, the house’s interior designer. The cost to renovate 710 Emerson will be about $500,000. Both are all-female dorms.
Last week 710 Emerson residents were told that if they requested their current building on their housing lottery ballots, they would be placed in 1856 Orrington. About one-third of the 33 current residents wanted to return next year, said Scott, adding that they first heard of the move when rumors circulated that the dorm would be converted to sorority housing next year.
Residents then asked Undergraduate Residential Life and ADPi members to confirm the rumor.
“The decision was really just made at the end of last week,” Gregg Kindle, director of Residential Life, said Tuesday.
An e-mail soon will be sent to 710 Emerson residents to inform them of the situation and their housing options for the 2001-2002 year. Kindle, who wrote the e-mail, said he wanted to delay such a message until he could supply all of the necessary information.
“We’ve come to terms with this, although we were upset at first,” said Suzy Lurie, a Music freshman and 710 Emerson social co-chairwoman. “We’re going to make the best of this situation. Next year’s going to be fun even though we’re not going to be living in this building.”
Residents who want to remain together as a dorm will join with residents of 1856 Orrington next year in the Orrington location.
But Scott said the suggestion raises the issue of who should govern the combined dorm. Residents of 1856 Orrington, in anticipation of leaving their house, did not hold elections, while those at 710 Emerson did.
Kindle met with three officers of 710 Emerson and the president of 1856 Orrington to discuss the two governments’ transitions. He said the leaders of both dorms were cooperative and asked good questions.
“We were able to answer those questions and resolve most of the issues,” Kindle said.
The women of ADPi wanted to find a house with the kitchen and dining space in the basement, Martin said, in order to provide more living space on the main floor. This arrangement already exists at 710 Emerson, saving the sorority a considerable sum of money.
ADPi also is saving money by working with Martin, an ADPi alumna. Besides donating her time to the project, Martin, who owns a home furnishings wholesale business, can get renovation supplies at a reduced cost.
According to Amanda Sloan, communications director of ADPi, 710 Emerson will house more women as well as offer space for social events and general living. The house will include a formal room, a library and a sun room.
“It has the potential to be an absolutely beautiful house,” Martin said. “Even when they need a lot of work, (the sorority houses at NU) are very beautiful houses.”
