Fall 2022 Newsletter | Triangle Building & Housing Corporation Triangle Building & Housing Corp.
BUILDING TRIANGLE'S FUTURE
ASSURING ILLINOIS' SECOND CENTURY By Connie Sieferman
recently renovated chapter house, shown The above, is just the latest step on the Illinois
Triangle journey that began in 1907, reflecting a broad range of new beginnings that now spans 115 years. As Ward Hand ill92 accurately assesses the current facelift to the property, “Facilities you can see; brotherhood is harder to see.” A tour of the inviting structure soon brings the casual visitor to the realization that the recent improvements are instrumental in the process of bringing new recruits into the fold. It’s an impressive chapter house, a worthy homage to the role of the founding chapter. Hand explains the original thought process behind the renovations. “We had to start with a basic question: What are we going to do with this house to make living here easier to manage and improve brotherhood at the same time? We needed to change this culture to an upward spiral, instead of downward.” Hand’s construction-management experience served him well as he prepared preliminary cost estimates for a project focused on a set of specific target areas. In 2018, the chapter alumni board discussed alternatives for a brand-new house
“Ultimately, we had to ask ourselves why we would tear the building down,” says Hand. “We found ourselves looking at this through a different lens. We have durable construction here. It has good bones!”
versus a comprehensive renovation of the current facility. Based on the cost estimates at the time, the board decided to focus their efforts on a renovation. “Ultimately, we had to ask ourselves why we would tear the building down,” says Hand. “We found ourselves looking at this through a different lens. We have durable construction here. It has good bones!” In 2019, the alumni board engaged a local architectural firm in Champaign to prepare conceptual design documents and a cost estimate for the renovation. The results indicated that financing the entire project would not be feasible. After considering fundraising proposals from multiple professional organizations that specialize in nonprofits, the board elected to “come home” and work with the Triangle Education Foundation (TEF). Two important considerations were TEF’s ability to solicit tax-deductible donations and their already-established connections with Triangle alumni. It was a productive move for the chapter, as Hand is quick to point out. “In addition to the