For years, Delta Zeta was a sisterhood without a house at the University of Idaho.
The sorority now has the newest house on Elm Street, but according to President Izzy Martin, it won”t be defining their sorority anytime soon.
“We always tell each other “It”s about your sisters, and it”s never about the living facility,”” Martin said.
The new house, located on Elm Street next to The Bruce Pitman Center, is currently at capacity with 68 sorority members and the sorority”s house mom.
The sorority began construction July 2014 and members were able to move into the new house earlier this month. The house cost approximately $4.5 million, Martin said.
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Newly built Delta Zeta Sorority house is located behind Bruce Pitman Center. Students moved into the house earlier this year.
While members are living in the house, Martin said some kitchen appliances still need to be installed and construction still continues on the grand staircase.
“It”s basically done, minus the grand staircase,” Martin said.
She said the sorority also still has to finalize a number of smaller house rules, such as meals plans and a laundry system.
Martin said the sorority did not see a major increase in recruitment numbers due to the house, but mentioned they paid special attention to women looking to join just for the new house.
“We did a really good job of weeding out any women who we thought were putting priority over the house versus the sisterhood,” Martin said.
Starting fall 2011, the sorority participated in formal recruitment at UI and began living in the Wallace Residence Center.
UI and the national chapter formerly recognized the UI chapter of Delta Zeta months later in February 2012.
Their history in Wallace won”t soon be forgotten in the new house.
Martin said members have dubbed the basement the “Wallace lounge” in recognition of their time in the residence halls. Since the basement space holds their furniture from Wallace, she said the space feels like home.
The house only has suite-style living arraignment – a nod to their beginning years living in Wallace.
“We were founded in Wallace, and we wanted to take that memory with us,” Martin said of the living arrangements.
Martin said members gave input to architects on what they wanted to see in the sorority.
She said members decided they wanted suite-style living, lots of natural lighting and a grand staircase in the house.
“So that was really cool,” she said. “As founding mothers, we could have input on the production and design of the house.”
Martin said there was not much space in Wallace to host events, and finding other spaces in Moscow was difficult. In the past, she said the sorority would have to reserve a room months in advance and spend money to use the space.
The new house, Martin said, will allow the sorority to have more interaction with other Greek houses. She said the sorority will now be able to host professor dinners, invite other sororities over for a meal or put on dinners for parent weekends.
Ryan Tarinelli can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ryantarinelli