Historical house beginning renovation

A historically significant building, the old Kappa Alpha Psi house, is being renovated for the relocation of several IU offices. The building will eventually house the IU Police Department and some parts of the IU Foundation.\nCharlie Nelms, vice president for institutional development and student affairs, said that the fraternity is the only nationally-recognized fraternity that was founded at IU. \n“It is the only African-American fraternity or sorority to have constructed a building from scratch,” Nelms said. “It has a very historically significant structure on this campus.”\nVacant for more than a decade, the building will be able to serve as a monument commemorating the founding of Kappa Alpha Psi, Nelms said. \n“There will actually be a physical monument at the house, noting the date and founders of the house,” he said.\nHopes that the fraternity would reacquire and renovate the building ceased when the national fraternity concluded that it was not fiscally viable to operate the house as a residence, Nelms said.\nBarbara Coffman of the IU Foundation said there had been many conversations with officials regarding the building’s future. In the end, Coffman said, the decision was to move the IUPD and some offices of the IU Foundation into the building.\nThe duration of renovation is uncertain at this point, Coffman said.\nNelms said that although the fraternity cannot reacquire the building, the IU Foundation acquisition is the next \nbest thing. \n“I’ve been in discussions with the executive director of Kappa Alpha Psi, the national director and with board members, about ways that IU can appropriately acknowledge the fraternity’s founding at IU,” Nelms said. “Acquisition of it by the IU Foundation, in support of IU, will enable the continued existence of the building and monument on campus.”