By
Emily Severson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Most members in high spirits about their new location
After a more than two-year delay, UA Delta Tau Delta members have moved into their newly renovated house on campus.
All the construction is finished on the house, 1050 E. Cherry Ave., but members are still awaiting the arrival of new furniture for their main downstairs common rooms.
About 30 members are living in the house even though there is room for 52, said Rob Scherillo, DTD president and a management information systems and finance sophomore.
"Our last house didn't have this much room, so members that want to move in (to the house) now that we moved can't because some of them live in dorms and can't get out of their dorm contracts," Scherillo said.
He added that the old building could house 30 people at the most.
DTD's house was located about three blocks north of campus, at 1550 N. Vine Ave., but fraternity leaders decided to relocate to be closer to the center of campus. The new house, which was home to the now-defunct Alpha Tau Omega, became available after ATO lost its charter in 1998.
When DTD members were planning on moving in to their new house during the summer of 1998, it burned down, causing an estimated $850,000 in damage and requiring extensive renovation. The fire was determined to be arson-related.
The new house has a few less rooms than it originally did as the Alpha Tau Omega house because two bedrooms were combined to make a study room, Scherillo said. They also modified the house to make it wheelchair accessible and each of the rooms has an Ethernet connection.
DTD members said they were excited about the new location.
"It will be nice for rush, because we are closer to campus," Scherillo said.
Another member, Nate Carlon, internal vice president and a finance sophomore, said that the new location made a big difference.
"We are closer to our classes and the location makes us really feel like part of the university," Carlon said. "More people can see the house and know who we are."
He added that it was a huge step for the fraternity and would help get more pledges during spring rush.
"In the old house we would spend about $12,000 each semester getting the house ready for rush," Scherillo said. "In this house we won't need to do that."
The house officially opened over the weekend. About 110 alumni came in for tours of the house, Scherillo said.
Other than the tours, DTD does not have any official housewarming events scheduled. However, they plan to have barbecues and casual social events to get people to come over and see the house.
Even though the old DTD house was broken into over winter break and the fire that damaged the house was arson-related, members do not think they have any specific enemies on campus.
"Fraternities mess around and take stuff from each other," Carlon said. "Hopefully, people are more mature now and can accept the fact that we are here."
Carlon said he also thought the location and construction of the new house make it safer.
"It is closer to the university and we finally have locks on all our doors," he said. "The old house was always unlocked. Anyone could walk in."
"In a way the fire helped because we bought the house in the condition it was at the time," said Mike Hetke, a nutritional sciences senior. "The good side is that now we have a new house."
