 "Photo: Terence Rushin")
By Britt Cole Bcole1@my.westga.edu Staff Writer
UWG made history last Saturday on the North end of campus when ground was broken for the Greek Village, which is planned to be up and running by Fall 2009. The Greek Village is the second phase in a four-phase-plan to enhance the University of West Georgia campus.
Rumors of a Greek Village have been roaming the campus for the past thirty years, but at last the land is obtained and all financial obstacles are overcome. This allows the UWG Foundation Inc. to get the ball rolling on this historic project.
Some view Greek Village as a dream come true for the Greek Life here at West Georgia. It is going to give all Greek organizations a chance to become more united as well as aid in the recruitment process.
As of now, six sororities and seven fraternities have signed on to live in the village. Recently, all chapters participated in a lottery to choose their houses.
Others say that the project takes up valuable real estate adjacent to the existing campus and that it robs greek organization of their individual character in addition to being overly expensive for sorority and fraternity members.
Some members have expressed worry that being part of campus will bring new rules, regulations and oversight to a program that has traditionally thrived on it's exceptionalism and independance.
Nineteen houses will occupy the village: Six 6-bed townhomes, three 10-bed houses, three 16-bed houses, and seven 20-bed houses. With a mix of single and double bedrooms, all houses will have a living or chapter room, residential kitchen, laundry facilities, and semi-private bathrooms. The Village will include commodities such as a community building, basketball and volleyball courts, gated parking for residents as well as visitor parking located across from the entrance.
Dependant on enrollment and market demand, there are also plans for a possible Phase II to be constructed at a later date that will allow for an additional 20-bed house for a Panhellenic sorority, one 16 or 20-bed house for an IFC fraternity, and three 10-bed houses for IFC or NPHC groups.
Although there is a general "look" to the Village, Southern Colonial style buildings with same-size chapter letters on the houses, each chapter has several different decorating options to choose from before their house is constructed. Upgrade options also give chapters the ability to enhance the furnishings inside the house if their financial standings allow them to do so.
The houses will be owned by the university and chapters will pay an annual rental fee to cover the community center costs and individuals will pay rent for their rooms.
While the groundbreaking that happened this past weekend was short and sweet, the Greek Village Rally will be held Saturday, Oct. 18 on Homecoming. This will allow Greek alumni to visit the site and view project renderings as well as inquire about construction options for each house and much more.
The Greek Village is one of many great things that are going to grace this campus and enhance our college environment and experience within the next few years.
Keep an eye out for construction to begin shortly.
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