Upsilon Alpha alumnae to donate former Chi Omega house to SU for new event space
Upsilon Alpha Alumnae of Syracuse, NY Inc. will donate the former Chi Omega sorority house to SU as a shared meeting and event space for campus organizations. UAA have kept ownership of the house, located at 300 Waverly Ave., since 1992 Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Upsilon Alpha Alumnae of Syracuse, NY Inc. will donate its former Chi Omega sorority house to Syracuse University as a shared event space for Greek social and professional organizations, according to a Monday release.
The three-story, 9,000-square-foot building will be open to fraternities and sororities without a designated house, along with alumni of chapters that are no longer active on campus.
Located at 300 Waverly Ave, the house was built as a private residence in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. UAA, the Upsilon Alpha chapter of Chi Omega alumni association at SU, occupied the house for over 70 years, the release states.
UAA has kept ownership of the house since it disbanded in 1992, maintaining and leasing it for over 30 years. SU’s chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma most recently occupied the house until 2024.
Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves said in the release that their gift will allow SU to provide a “crucial” space for organizations.
During her time as a Chi Omega, UAA Board President Laurie Bean-Taishoff took pride in their philanthropic efforts, raising the most money of any chapter. She said she hopes the house allows students to learn the importance of volunteerism.
“We wanted to take all those experiences and memories that formed our legacy and give it back to the University and future students and alumni,” Bean-Taishoff said in the release.
The house will have a designated Upsilon Alpha Chapter room available for UAA alumni use.
“Their desire to have this strategically located house primarily utilized by the Student Experience Division, with a focus on supporting, preserving and enhancing Greek Life at Syracuse University, will have a very positive impact for our current and future students,” Groves said.
