Epsilon Theta Corporation, Inc.
May 22, 2001
After several years of contemplating major renovations, the alumni corporation decided that now is the time to proceed for several reasons:
Total project costs, including architecture and design fees, construction, and fundraising costs, is estimated to be $600,000. Proposed sources of funding are: $100,000 from current Corporation reserves, $300,000 from the fundraising campaign, and $200,000 from a low-interest loan from the MIT IRDF fund.
Epsilon Theta needs the broad support of its alumni to undertake this
extremely important renovation. It will enable us to restore 259
Saint Paul to its former grandeur and help ensure the future of Epsilon
Theta Fraternity.
259 Saint Paul Street was originally built in 1890 as a Victorian-style wood-framed single family home and was renovated to house the fraternity members. In 1947, the house suffered a fire which gutted the first floor of the house, but recovered admirably. In the early 1960's major renovations resulted in significant changes to the interior layout of the house, as well as fire and safety improvements.
Today, the chapter house is deemed a historic building in the Cottage Farm district of Brookline. Members of Epsilon Theta carry out weekly worksessions and annual Work Weeks to maintain the upkeep of the house. They clean and paint the house, perform repairs, and generally do their best to keep the house looking its best. In addition, the Corporation has undertaken recent projects such as redoing the dining room floor and replacement of the porch.
Despite our best efforts to maintain the house, wear and tear over the past few decades has made it necessary to undergo another major renovation project. The renovations of the 1960's were meant to serve the house for 20 years, which they have done quite well. However, hard use has made its mark on the flooring and walls over the years. Many areas of the house are in need of modernization, such as the kitchen and electric circuits. As appliances and equipment age and require more and more repairs, the costs of maintenence increase. In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires the house to meet regulations regarding handicap-accessibility. We also hope to make other aesthetic improvements to the house to reflect its heritage and history.
In order to address these needs, the Epsilon Theta Corporation is launching a major fundraising campaign to fund a renovation project which will prepare the house for the challenges of the twenty-first century. The goal of the Saint Paul Upgrade and Renovation Project is to make the house a good home for future generations of MIT students, so that they too have a comfortable refuge from the rigors of academic life.
The active membership in the house currently consists of a diverse group of men and women of various backgrounds. Epsilon Theta strives to be a fraternity in the true sense of the word, with members living together and supporting each other as brothers and sisters. House members take responsibility for maintainance of the house through duties such as dinner waits, driving the house van, weekly worksessions, and annual work weeks.
Many members are actively involved in on-campus activities such as Concert Choir, the Tech, Anime Club, and Alpha Phi Omega (a community service organization). Epsilon Theta is a member of the Living Group Council, an organization that promotes the values of co-ed houses, and provides much of the leadership in this organization.
All parties at the house are dry, and have been for the last ten years. This was a natural result of the makeup of the house, since most members of the house choose not to drink at all. Also, the house is non-smoking.
The last set of major renovations to the house occured nearly forty years ago, and nearly four hundred MIT students have lived in the house since that time. The wear and tear of such vigorous use on the house is naturally becoming evident. As equipment and facilities in the house age, the costs of maintainence and repairs have been mounting at an alarming rate. The historic house at 259 Saint Paul Street is a source of pride for many Epsilon Thetans. Now, it is time for a new set of renovations to instill house pride in current members and to help attract future generations of Epsilon Thetans.
As the proportion of women in incoming freshman classes continues to rise, Epsilon Theta has an advantage over traditional all-male fraternities in that off-campus housing options for women remain limited. Many all-male fraternities are already feeling the strain of rushing a smaller pool of male freshmen. In response to this increased competition, several fraternities have recently renovated their houses to make themselves more attractive to new pledges. At the same time, sororities at MIT are gaining newly renovated houses of their own, creating more competition for female pledges. A newly renovated house will help Epsilon Theta maintain its competitive edge when attracting potential pledges.
The MIT administration is also creating new challenges for us. As of 2002, fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups (FSILGs) at MIT will no longer be able to recruit freshmen. In addition, MIT is undertaking renovations in all the dormitories. Fraternity members will face the challenge of trying to woo upperclassmen out of newly renovated housing they have already lived in for a year or more. This makes a renovation project even more imperative.
Several times in the past, Epsilon Theta has given thought to the possibility of moving to a different location, perhaps in Boston or Cambridge. However, ET's location in Brookline is often cited as one of the best things about the house. Students feel a greater sense of ``coming home'' at the end of the day. The neighborhood is very safe, with a playground across the street where children often play. ET also maintains excellent relations with the town of Brookline, whereas many MIT houses in Boston and Cambridge face problems with those town governments. The high prices of real estate in these cities also makes such a move prohibitively expensive. The distance from campus is mitigated by the house owned and operated van and MIT's SafeRide shuttle service, which provide safe and timely transport between MIT campus and 259 Saint Paul Street. Epsilon Theta has maintained a continuous existence at 259 Saint Paul Street for nearly 80 years and looks forward to remaining here for the next 80 years.
Smaller projects include:
For many years, a portion of the rent charged to residents of 259 Saint Paul Street was set aside for future renovations to the house. However, it was not a large enough amount to cover depreciation of the physical plant of the house. In fact, this has been standard practice for virtually all living groups at MIT, including dormitories as well as FSILGs, in an effort to keep housebills low and attract more new members. Only recently has MIT begun to review this short-sighted outlook and raise rents accordingly. Epsilon Theta is actually in a better position than most other houses, in that we do have some savings at our disposal.
However, the point of fact is that the Corporation does not have enough reserves to entirely pay for a major renovation project and we must depend on the generosity of our alumni to generate funds. The last renovation project, undertaken in the 1960's, was financed mostly through a mortgage, of which the Corporation has recently completed payments. This time, the Corporation plans to rely heavily on donations from alumni to fund the project, allowing us to have less of a mortgage and therefore more savings to put aside for the future. Additionally, the Corporation has instituted an automatic yearly increase on the house rent so that we continue to amass savings.
This is the first time in nearly 40 years that Epsilon Theta has asked alumni to contribute to a major fundraising campaign. Additionally, the Corporation has instituted automatic yearly rent increases to mitigate the need for future large-scale fundraising. Thus, this is a one-time opportunity for you to show your support for Epsilon Theta Fraternity by investing in our future. The donation you make now will not only help us to restore the physical plant of the house, but also put the Corporation on better financial ground for the future.
Funding Sources: | ||
Corporation savings | $100,000 | |
MIT IRDF mortgage | $200,000 | |
Alumni donations | $300,000 | |
Total Funding Sources | $600,000 | |
Estimated Costs: | ||
Interior work (electrical, kitchen, bathrooms, floors) | $325,000 | |
Exterior work (foundation, windows, siding) | $175,000 | |
Architect, general contractor, miscellaneous | $100,000 | |
Total Project Cost | $600,000 |
If the market value of your donated stock exceeds $10,000, you may be subject to the gift tax. If you plan to donate stock with a market value exceeding $10,000, we recommend that the transfer take place over multiple years.
ET will not be liable for capital gains tax on the sale of donated stock. ET will sell donated stock, but since we are a tax-exempt organization, we will not be subject to capital gains tax.
Rush
During the fall of 2000, the IFC 2002 Transition Committee came up with a proposal for how freshman rush would be structured in 2002. Their recommendation was a rush period of about three weeks, beginning with a kickoff on the first Friday of classes and allowing bids to be extended during Columbus Day weekend. Since then, the administration has rejected this proposal from the IFC. A revised proposal will be made during the spring of 2001 for a rush that will not begin until at least October. Because the new rush period will take place during term, rush will necessarily be lower-key than it has been during the traditional period dedicated exclusively to rush.
ET is planning to hold rush during the IFC rush period. Most of our big events will take place on the weekends during rush. On weekdays, rushees will be encouraged to come over for dinner and to remain at the house to study. Having natural study groups form and providing upperclassmen to help with the freshman classes will be an integral part of introducing freshmen to our house.
As always, alumni support will be very important to the success of rush. When there is a definite plan for the IFC's rush, we will have a more definite idea of how our rush can best be structured.
The Pledge Program
Because the major freshman rush will be taking place during the fall, and will thus be non-residential, the house has decided on some changes to the pledge program which will accommodate the idea of non-residential rush. The house held a series of six meetings throughout the fall term and IAP to determine how the pledge program would be run in 2002.
The first part of the pledge program will take place during the term in which the individual pledges. The pledges will, as a pledge class, do bonding activities such as Tech Trek and Mission. This will help them get to know their pledge sibs as well as the upperclassmen in the house. They will also go through some of the traditional pledge meetings, like learning about the history of the house. To promote bonding with the house, the pledges will be given big sibs early on, and will be strongly encouraged to participate in the house's meal program (see below). The second part of the pledge program will occur once the pledges have moved into the house. This portion will focus on the practical aspects of living in the house, like house duties and roommates.
One of the major topics of discussion was when initiation should be held. The house felt that living in the house for a period of time and participating in the pledge program were important for initiation. Therefore, initiation will take place after an individual has lived in the house for a term and has completed both portions of the pledge program.
Having the pledge program divided into two parts also lets the house accommodate upperclassmen who decide to accept bids, or freshmen who do not make a decision until late in their freshman year. Under this system, such a person could participate in the second part of the pledge program during the fall when they move in. This is desirable because they will need the practical information about living in the house as soon as they move in, and because they would probably already know the other pledges participating in this part of the program. A late pledge would still have the opportunity to experience portions of the first part of the pledge program by participating in it with the non-residential pledges during this term.
Pledges will not be expected to participate in help week or work week until they have already lived in the house. This means that for freshmen pledges, they will participate in help week during IAP of their sophomore year.
This proposal for the pledge program will be tried in 2002, and reviewed after a pledge class has participated in it. And, of course, it will evolve over time to meet the changing needs of the house.
Changes for 2001
The house has already begun putting changes into place to prepare for the 2002 transition.
Although the transition to a freshman-less house in 2002 will not be an easy one, the house is well prepared for the challenges it will face. Despite the changes, our active members and alumni are extremely committed to preserving and strengthening the fraternity.
Gary Wolf is the principal of Gary Wolf Architects, Inc., a full-service architectural firm with emphases on both contemporary design and historic preservation. Since he established independent practice in 1987, Mr. Wolf's clients have included the Museum of Our National Heritage, the Synectics Corporation, the Brookline School of Music, the City of Melrose, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and home-owners in several states.
After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, Mr. Wolf received his Master of Architectural History degree from the University of Virginia, where he was the recipient of a Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Scholarship. Princeton University awarded him his Master of Architecture degree; while there he served as a teaching assistant. He has been a visiting critic at Havard University's Graduate School of Design, a thesis advisor at the Boston Architectural Center, and a guest critic at the Massacusetts Institute of Technology and the Rhode Island School of Design. He has lectured in Harvard's Professional Development Program, in the ``Emerging Architects'' series sponsored by the Boston Society of Architects and the Boston Center for Adult Education, at Tufts University, at Build Boston, and at the Philadelphia Athenaeum.
Gary Wolf Architects, Inc.
Gary Wolf Architects, Inc. is dedicated to providing clients with creative, responsible design. Located in the historic Blackstone Block in the midst of contemporary Boston, GWA applies award-winning design skills to both old and new buildings.
GWA staff have wide-ranging experience in the appropriate treatment of historic properties, including restoration, rehabilitation, repairs, and adaptive use, and in the design of additions to existing structures. Award-winning projects include the renovation and restoration of a turn-of-the-century commercial building in Harvard Square and the rehabilitation for the Brookline Music School of a historic country house designed in 1843 by architect Gridley J.F. Bryant.
GWA's historic preservtion projects have entailed securing approvals from historical commissions at local and state levels. In project locales as divers as Beacon Hill, Brookline, Cambridge, Concord, and Lawrence, GWA has a proven track record of collaboration with local boards. The Cambridge Historical Commission and the Brookline Preservtion Commission have both recognized GWA projects with preservation Awards.