History

A history of the Chapter House and the House Renovations Committee.

The Chapter House

The House Renovations Committee

The Chapter House

The Phi Kappa Sigma Chapter House at the University of Maine was built in 1903 for about $12,000 (or $284,000 in today's dollars, as adjusted for inflation).  The house was built as a Colonial Revival style and was designed by Crowell, Lancaster and Higgins, Architects located in Bangor, Maine.  The house included three floors and a basement.

The Phi Kap House, circa 1903

In 1953 - fifty years after the house was first built - two wings were added to the north and south sides of the building for a cost of about $40,000 (or $320,383 in today's dollars, as adjusted for inflation).  This addition added 3,120 square feet of new living space to the chapter house although it did not increase the house's 40 man capacity; rather it expanded upon the cramped living conditions of the time as about a third more men were living their in 1953 as were in 1903.

The Phi Kap House, 1952

Since the wings were added 56 years ago, several improvements to the house have been performed by the undergraduate members and Housing Corporation.  However, at 106 years of age and with thousands of young men and their guests having passed through the house during this time, the chapter house is in need of dramatic repairs and renovations.

The House Renovations Committee

The House Renovations Committee was formed in the summer of 2004, although the need for such renovations was articulated in 2001 by members of Skullumni: The Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma.  The committee itself did not get up and running until an appropriate alumnus could be found to chair the committee.  Based on his undergraduate leadership, post-graduate involvement, success with MBNA America (now Bank of America), and ability to put in the requisite time to get the renovations effort off the ground, members of Skullumni asked Br. Shawn Harris '91 to lead the committee and he accepted.  A core group of alumni began meeting to formulate the plan and over the next six years numerous alumni joined the cause.  Presently, over 20 alumni are involved with the renovations effort.