Alpha Phi Breaks Ground on New Sorority House on Campus

About 200 sorority members, alumni and supporters gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Alpha Phi chapter house at the U of A.

The $25 million, 37,000-square-foot facility will be located on Sorority Row at the corner of West Maple Street and North Wilson Avenue. Construction begins this spring, with the house scheduled to open in August 2027.

The groundbreaking, held at 522 W. Maple St., marks a significant milestone for the Alpha Phi chapter, which was established at the university in 2024 as the 12th Panhellenic sorority.

Parice Bowser, assistant vice chancellor for Greek Life, said the new chapter house will provide a dedicated space for members to live, study and gather for meetings and events, while also helping meet growing demand for student housing.

"Today we are not just breaking ground for a house," Bowser told the crowd. "We are creating a space where Alpha Phi women will grow into leaders, strengthen their character, pursue scholarships and build a sisterhood that will carry them through every chapter of their lives. We are creating a place where opportunity lives in every room and where every woman who walks through the door knows she belongs."

Designed to complement the classical architecture along Sorority Row, the house will include sleeping rooms, shared bathrooms, a commercial kitchen, study areas and common spaces, as well as a live-in director's suite.

The house will accommodate up to 95 students. Rooms will be fully furnished, with utilities included through academic-year leases.

Currently, chapter members live in university or off-campus housing, Bowser said. The new house will give the chapter a central gathering space to strengthen sisterhood and support student life.

The project is being developed in partnership with 1872 Properties, HBRA Architects, WER Architects and C.R. Crawford Construction.

The March 7 groundbreaking included a welcome from chapter president Chloe Carpenter-Obst and remarks by Monica Gailes, director of 1872 Properties, and Katelyn Kagy, vice president of the U of A Panhellenic Council.

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