Alumni News

The Delta Shelter Turns Eighty-Five

Allan Lutes '86 | 02/20/2009

2009 marks the 85th birthday of the Grand Old Lady, a structure that has provided the opportunity of fraternal brotherhood to nearly 2,000 men at the University of Michigan. That Grand Old Lady is our fraternity facility at the University of Michigan, known affectionately to its members as the Delta Shelter.

Designed specifically for Delta Chapter, the plans were completed and contracts were hired on February 24, 1924. Seven months later on September 15, 1924, the Shelter was completed for $108,189.65.

The original structure was nearly 6,600 square feet on three floors, plus an additional 2,200 square feet of basement area. The first floor is in much the same layout today with a large foyer, central open staircase, living room, study, and dining hall. The upper two floors included a total of 14 two-room suites and two bathrooms. She was heated with coal, and had servants’ quarters in the basement.

In the 1950s, the brotherhood grew, and an addition was constructed on the west end. The structure was increased by another 800 square feet on each floor including the basement, for a total addition of 3,200 square feet. The Shelter now included 9,000 square feet on three floors with another 3,000 square feet in the basement, the same size as she sits today. The addition added four two-room suites, plus an enlarged kitchen and dining hall. She continued to prosper during most of the 1960s, but started to decline in the Woodstock era.

The 70s were hard on the Shelter as fraternities were not in vogue, and it was difficult finding people to live in the house. During this period, women lived in the Shelter, and legend has it that one was even initiated into the chapter. The 70s also saw the enforcement of many new housing codes, which caused new steel fire escapes to be added, and fire partitions doors installed on the landings of the second and third floors.

The Delta brotherhood owes a debt of gratitude to Doc Mitchell '44, a dedicated Delta alumnus, who held the place together during the 70s and early 80s. He saw that the Shelter was maintained, collected the rent and scraped together enough money to get the mortgage paid off. Without his efforts, our Shelter would have been sold off to investors. Allan Lutes ’86 recalls that he once saw in the House Corporation files a written purchase offer for the Shelter. It was dated in 1974 and was from a campus landlord who had offered $74,000. Thankfully, Doc and the other Delta alumni leaders held true to their “responsibility to those that follow,” and rejected the offer.

The 80s saw a resurgence of fraternities on campus, and many items of deferred maintenance were attended to during this period. In December 1998, the Shelter suffered from a fire that took place on December 28 during winter break and while many chapter members were in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. Alumni worked tirelessly to see that the Shelter was put back together and retained the same look that decades of members came to love. The Shelter recovered nicely with new plumbing and electrical systems, and many updates. During this period, the basement area was also reconfigured to open it up so that larger social and brotherhood events could take place in that area.

Sadly, the early 2000s left our “Old Girl” without the company of Delta brothers as the chapter was disbanded due to low membership numbers. The alumni house corporation nursed her through this down time. A roof leak resulted in a significant and expensive mold remediation project. Tenants residing in the facility at the time did not love and respect her the way our brothers do.

We anxiously awaited the return of the Delta brothers. Alumni, led by Garrett Hall ’85, came up with plans for a return to campus in 2004. Official re-colonization efforts began in 2006 with the charter being fully returned to the chapter in March 2008 with the initiation of 48 new brothers. Delts moved back into the Shelter in the fall of 2008, and are again carrying for the Old Girl’s daily needs.

Our Shelter is a Grand Old Lady, but old structures need much attention, care and feeding. Regular maintenance and repairs cost approximately $16,000 each year. Additionally, as older systems fail or need replacement, it takes approximately $20,000 to $30,000 per year on average to keep her going. The City of Ann Arbor extracts another $20,000 each year for taxes. Gas, electric and water cost another $20,000.

At 85 years old, much of her roof and her windows are still original construction. An upcoming fundraising effort will hopefully attend to those items. With a new roof and windows, she should be ready to stand for another 85 years, during which our Shelter will continue to provide the opportunity for brotherhood for many more Delta men.