The Houses - Zeta Tau Zeta / Lambda Chi Alpha

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THE HOUSES OF ZTZ

220 W. Minnesota Ave. - 1949-1961

Founding brothers spent their college years at the initial
Lambda Chi Alpha house on Minnesota Ave.

OLD HOUSE – unit ‘B’
203 Fraternity Row

With 46 years of Zeta Tau Zeta Lambda Chi history on Fraternity Row, this is where nearly 1000 of our brothers called “Home” while students at Stetson. They forged most of their fraternal experiences and memories here.

80’s through 2008

A few photos alone don’t do justice to the Great Times and Great Brotherhood that was fostered in this ‘Old House’ Visit The Houses photo gallery for more images. If you have photos that speak to the magic that this house held, and are really good ones, then submit to ZetaTauDatabase@gmail.com.

The Olde House and The Deck is the stuff of Legend!

In 2007, Stetson and the fraternities were looking at options and long-term solutions to fraternity housing. Lambda Chi Alpha again took a ‘leadership’ role with planning and production of ‘Last Blast at the Olde House’.

With approximately ‘100 alumni spanning the ages present’, actives and alums alike celebrated the chapter, created enthusiasm, and raised funds for a Stetson-recommended ante-up of $25,000 to ‘start the conversation’ on housing.

We erected a convention tent, catered meals, partied hard at The House and at Otis’ at the River.
See more photos under the Events photo gallery.

The end results were commitments by the brothers of some $138,000, an amazing show of support from our incredible brotherhood. The IRONY in the fund-raiser is that it portended “The Actual Last Blast” at the ‘This Olde House’. ‘The INCIDENT’ took place some 5 ½ months later on Saturday, April 26th, the active chapter, with mixed signals of prior approval from Stetson Student Life, held its annual Buffett Party.

Things got really, really out of hand and VERY UGLY! – This fiasco ultimately led to the lengthy demise (6-7 years) of the chapter as we knew it. On June 19, 2008, in a joint “Open Letter” Lambda Chi National and Stetson Student Life) Declared Zeta Tau Zeta Inactive.

Michigan Avenue

2014 - 2015

Stetson-owned temporary House on Michigan Avenue. This Michigan Ave. structure provided Lambda Chi Alpha with ‘a home’, and allowed the active chapter to meet, and alumni to meet and formulate Fund-Raising plans for an eventual ‘New House’.

New House Planned for Amelia AVE

This rendering represents the advanced plans for the New House on Amelia – Stetson was going to close in the east end of Fraternity Row – see location on below photo this page. ZTZ LXA was going to ‘Build this structure. The price tag landed at close to $3 Million. When we started digging deep into the costs and fund raising, we felt that this plan was a bit too aggressive, and would tightly strap the chapter for many years to come. The photo above right would have been the location for The New House on Amelia. This entrance to Fraternity Row would have been blocked off and the house would have been built in this area shown in the photo.

New House 'planned' for Amelia Ave.

In those early stages of formulating a fundraising campaign, meetings with Ernie Ahlquist and George Mitcheson brought about some major concerns about our chapter’s ability to meet the debt service on a $3 Million house.

We voiced our concerns, and felt that we needed a more viable option. Almost simultaneously to this realization, then Alumni President Dave Schofield inquired about Stetson’s newly acquired and renovated 1925 structure at 208 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Universally the brothers all thought it had great potential. Almost overnight our focus quickly turned to evaluating this house as 'long term!

NEW HOUSE AT 208 E. PENNSYLVANIA AVE - 2016 NEW ADDITION-2017

L) House with letters and Cross & Crescent aglow

Ribbon Cutting during Great Comeback -2016

The chapter began its initial stage of using this house for residences of brothers in 2016, with 7 actives living there beginning in the Fall.

We had the ribbon cutting during (above photo right) our huge "Great Comeback" Homecoming Weekend in November 2016. Close to 150 guests were on hand, including Zeta Tau Alumni, Actives, and a host of upper level Stetson Administrators and VIP’s.

This project was ‘taking place and taking shape’ because the stars (both Stetson’s and Lambda Chi Alpha’s) aligned and created an amazingly collaborative team!

Stetson's and Lambda Chi's teams all began work, conceptualizing a 4000 sf addition, and figuring out the financial mechanics to make it work! It was a tremendous TEAM effort!

Brother and Stetson Board of Trustee Member Geoff Jollay (L), along with Cathleen and Daryl Bishop, ‘New House Dynamo’ (the late) then Alumni President Richard Swartz, Anthony ‘Zootie’ Guzzetta, and George Green marvel at ‘The Bricks’ on the Breezeway (connecting the two structures of the house), sponsored by each respective brother, and commemorating each of their significant parts in putting together this Amazing Plan and Structure!

Over $150,000 in contributions, have been sponsored by generous Alumni Brothers. The Bricks have been a key component in Zeta Tau’s Alumni Stewardship and Fundraising Program, which ultimately has provided for our magnificent New Home!

Thanks to all brothers for their generous contributions in sponsoring Bricks! Active and Alumni Brothers ready to make a very modest commitment are encouraged to step forward and ‘Put your thumbprint FOREVER in your Lambda Chi Home….

Below is the final structure on Zeta Tau’s long journey in rising from the ashes of expulsion in 2008 to finding, dreaming, building, and financing our ‘Forever Home’ in 2016. The New House provides 19 beds for brothers, between the two joined structures. The addition to the house was completed and dedicated a year later, during Homecoming in 2017.