Clarkson buys condemned fraternity house

POTSDAM — Clarkson University has purchased a condemned fraternity house near its downtown campus.

The college recently paid $79,000 to buy the 6 Prospect Place property from the Alpha Chapter of Sigma Delta fraternity.

"The home was deteriorating and we stepped up for the university and the neighborhood. This will be much better for the downtown complex and the neighborhood as a whole," Clarkson spokesman Michael P. Griffin said. "We have secured the building and made it safe."

The large green house sits on a hill off Pierrepont Avenue, and is directly behind Clarkson Hall, which houses the college's physical therapy program.

Mr. Griffin said the college was interested in obtaining the building because of its location near its downtown buildings, and does not know what it will be used for yet.

"Obviously it would be used in some way for the downtown complex," he said. "We don't see it being used for housing again. It's not in good shape. It could be a parking lot."

The village recently condemned the building, and it has been boarded up. Sigma Delta has not been recognized by the university as an official fraternity since last spring, but Clarkson wasn't sure whether students had been living there or not.

"The alumni corporation is interested in having this be one of the fraternities and sororities that locate in the special-interest housing that's part of our master plan," Mr. Griffin said. "We have no other current plans to acquire houses."

Sigma Delta has been suspended as a student organization multiple times over the years. When Clarkson stops recognizing a Greek group, its members cannot receive "exemptions" to live off campus and it is not allowed to hold functions at the college.

The fraternity, which is nicknamed "Sig Pig," became infamous a decade ago when brothers mutilated a pig with an ax and slit its throat inside the house before slaughtering it for the group's annual pig roast. It also was charged several times for serving alcohol to minors at parties.

Sigma Delta was established in 1904 and is Clarkson's second-oldest Greek organization.