The Delta Chi chapter of Georgia Southern University held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, March 8, to officially start construction on what will become their new fraternity house.

The home, located at 1405 Chandler Road, will be a two story brick structure, boasting seven bed and bathrooms, a chapter meeting facility and a parking lot behind the house to avoid clogging the street.

The GSU Delta Chi chapter has been at the campus since 1972, but according to Konner Fulk, President of the Georgia Southern Delta Chi chapter, securing the plans for a chapter house did not go into motion until 2008.

The chapter previously resided in the Kappa Kappa Gamma house until 2007, when the KKG chapter returned to GSU. The chapter now resides in a facility across from University Plaza but Fulk is excited for this new development.

“This [house] will be larger in size, more bedrooms, and it’s going to be owned by the chapter,” Fulk said. “Which is perhaps the most important thing. We will own this. Not many Greek chapters on Georgia Southern’s campus can say that.”

The ceremony was attended by the chapter’s 27 members and five associate members, along with numerous alumni, members of the Interfraternity Conference, Delta Chi Regent Chris Kilroy and Statesboro mayor Jan Moore.

Several speakers took to the podium in the middle of the plot and took time to thank contributors to the project and emphasize the chapter’s achievement.

Moore, speaking to the audience, reflected on the importance of having a chapter owned house.

“As a freshman at the University of Georgia, I pledged Phi Mu,” Moore said. “And to this day, every time I’m in Athens and I have my children in the car, when I pass the Phi Mu house, my children say ‘”That’s Mom’s house,”’ and I say ‘”You’re damn right.’”

“That is my house,” Moore said. “There is no better feeling in the world than driving by your fraternity or sorority house. It will always be your house…That is a wonderful feeling.”

Bryan Davis, Chapter Housing Corporation president, reflected on the hurdles required to get to this day.

“The biggest challenge was pulling everyone together for a common goal,” Davis said. “Working with the city, the fire department, alumni, architects, the financial commitment, finding a bank that wants to be attached to a fraternity loan, and just the time commitment from everybody involved.”

Davis, however, was optimistic throughout the process.

“Because of each one of the personal relationships we’ve made either in town, or through the alumni we were able to rise to each one of those challenges,” Davis said. “And we did pretty well there.”

The facility is expected to be completed by mid-July, with a projected move in date of August 1.