Schafer track: Late in the fall, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity found out, another fraternity would be taking its house back and displacing Phi Gamma Delta . The sequence of events vaulted Vice President and treasurer Justin Paura, as well as his fraternity brothers, into a house hunt in what they’d soon learn is a saturated market.
Paura: We wanted to make sure we would belong to that community on campus, rather than having settle for somewhere that’s way far off the realm that we would regret down the road if we just stayed in this house one more year.
Schafer stand-up: When Paura and his Phi Gamma Delta brothers started their search for a house, there weren’t many options. Then they found this place on Harrison street.
Schafer track 2: Paura’s fraternity will now be in the former house of Theta Tau, which was kicked off campus last year following a hazing incident in the basement of the house. The location isn’t ideal, but it’s the reality of limited choices which is something coming up for other student organizations including The Daily Orange. Editor-in Chief Sam Ogolzalek has spent nearly the entire year looking for a new office space for the student newspaper who’s building is being taken back by the university next spring.
Ogozalek: It’s tough. Houses that go between $200,000 and $600,000 here within a few blocks of Syracuse University’s main campus might go for 80-grand to $100,000 anywhere else in the city. Because of the proximity here to student life—the academic core I suppose you would say of Syracuse University—it makes things much more difficult from a cost perspective.
Schafer: Whether it be a student affiliate radio station like WAER, Ogozalek and The DO or greek life organizations, Ogozalek says it’s not easy for students to handle the real estate market.
Ogozalek: It’s a lot of on the ground work that falls onto students. That is tough. It’s rewarding in the end of it, because you do learn a lot from it but also it’s a lot to do and a lot to think about.
Schafer: Ogozalek said The Daily Orange will likely end up in a place on Euclid Avenue. It may not have the proximity campus of the old location, but they’re just happy to have a new home.
Josh Schafer,
NCC News
