DeKALB – NIU’s plan to rejuvenate Greek Life takes a step forward as the sale of land for the $18 million Greek Life Center is set to close on Oct. 21.

The City of DeKalb agreed to sell the land to the NIU Foundation at a council meeting July 22.

The agreement states construction for the center is expected to start within four years of the property sale.

NIU Foundation CEO Catherine Squires said the $200,000 land purchase was made with strategic purpose funds from the Foundation.

The rest of the money for the endeavor will be raised through fundraising efforts. The timeline for the project will be based on the foundation’s ability to raise the funds.

“The quicker we can raise the money, the quicker we can build the building,” Squires said. “Until we really get going in terms of those deep, deep conversations with donors who provide what we hope will be substantial gifts to get us going, it’s hard to pin down when we might start and when we might end.”

The center will be located on Blackhawk Road.

Construction for the building is expected to cost $15 million, according to Squires. The foundation plans to use $3 million to furnish the interior and to set aside funds for maintenance.

The Greek Life Center is part of a plan to revitalize Greek Life at NIU and to benefit the Annie Glidden North neighborhood.

“The most important thing that NIU can do to help the revitalization of that neighborhood (Annie Glidden North) is to revitalize Greek Life,” Squires said. “And so the deliberate, intentional purchase of a piece of land to build this center in that neighborhood, I think, institutionally feels really important to all of us at NIU.”

Squires said the efforts to build the center has received excitement from students and alum.

“We know that its immediate attraction is for our Greek students and that is not to be diminished,” Squires said. “But this is a very important statement for NIU in the community.”