Going once, going twice … sold?

The Delta Upsilon House, 1114 Blackhawk Drive, currently is vacant, although the building has been up for bid since May of this year with some Greek organizations on campus anxiously wanting to buy it.

The building used to house the Delta Upsilon (DU) fraternity until it was dismissed from campus by the University and Programming Activities Board in July 2000 on drug charges.

Although many Greek organizations would love to be the new owners of the house, they all believe the Delta Chi’s to be the frontrunners for the property.

Mitch Hallgren, executive director of DeKalb County Housing Authority, said the building “tentatively” is sold.

“A legal transaction hasn’t taken place yet,” Hallgren said. “Both parties have to show up at a closing.”

One of the main factors for the Delta Chi’s having the best chance among the other organizations was its larger cauffer.

“The Delta Chi’s had the best offer,” Hallgren said.

David Holts, the former president of the Delta Chi fraternity and a senior marketing major, along with the rest of the fraternity, was first interested in purchasing the house about a year and a half ago.

“What set us back is when the city bought the house and was planning on turning it into a halfway house,” Holts said. He also said the Delta Chi’s became interested in buying the building when they found out the students did not want a halfway house in the area, and the Chi’s always have wanted to move into a bigger home that is not in such “bad shape.”

When the DU house was auctioned off earlier this summer, the Pikes were among the many other Greek organizations that wanted to buy the building.

“We got the bid because we had our house sold,” said Holts. “But we ran into a snag.” The snag is that the Delta Chi’s cannot find a buyer yet for their 908 Greenbrier Road home. Holts said the Delta Chi’s will be moving into their new abode sometime in the spring 2003 semester.

Although the DU house still might be vacant in the fall, Holts strongly believes that they will eventually be the new owners.

“Even though it’s my senior year, I’m excited to leave a bigger and better house behind,” Holts said.

A member of the Pike fraternity, who wishes to remain anonymous, had a premonition as well.

“The Delta Chi alumni had more money than ours, so they could put up a better bid,” he said. “We’ve been bidding on the house just as long.” The person also said that Mayor Greg Sparrow probably wanted to keep the house within the Greek community.

Kim Dressler, a former member of the Delta Gamma Sorority and main adviser, is acting as the “Fill-in House Mom” for the summer. Dressler is not worried at all about the vacant building and believes that the other Gammas will like the idea of having a new fraternity move next door.

“It’ll be nice to have something in this big abandoned building,” she said. “It’ll be a good change, they were sick of having no one next to them.”