The UCA Greek Village project has been in the works for many years thanks to the help of many different individuals and groups. Below you will find some brief highlights about the history of the project over the past two decades. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this project a reality since 2004!
2004
Chapter leadership, UCA Administration, and Student Government Association (SGA) begin discussions about a Greek Village project. The initial idea is to build project on Western Avenue.
2005
October
Nine (9) students visit Bowling Green State University and University of Toledo to view their Greek housing.
November
Sixteen (16) students visit Middle Tennessee State University to view their Greek housing.
2010
Summer
President Meadors recommends corner of Dave Ward Drive and Farris Road (approximately 12.5 five acres) as the future home of UCA Greek Village. This will become the focal area for UCA Greek Village until 2013.
2011
February
Eighteen (18) students visit University of West Georgia to view their Greek housing.
October
National Greek Housing Consultant, Mari Ann Callais, visits UCA to assess a potential Greek Village project with students, staff, administration, and alumni.
2012
July
Hired Brailsford & Dunleavy to conduct Greek Village feasibility and needs study with students, staff, administration, and alumni. Hired Wali Caradine and Ron Woods & Associates as the primary architects for the project.
September-November
Daniel Durack of Brailsford and Dunleavy visits UCA multiple times to conduct assessments of project stakeholders.
2013
January/February
Brailsford & Dunleavy’s feasibi
lity and needs study indicates that placing Greek Village on the corner of Dave Ward Drive and Farris Road is cost prohibitive due to a lack of underground utilities, remote location, and the potential for flooding. Project location is officially moved to Donaghey/Augusta/Western Avenues to meet cost limitations, integrate with the future mixed-use Donaghey project, and house students closer to academic buildings.
June
Eight (8) staff and two (2) architects visit Arkansas State University to view their new sorority housing project.
May
Received letters of intent from Greek groups wanting University to build houses (for large groups) and chapter meeting rooms (for small groups).
October
- UCA Board of Trustees approved in Phase I of Greek Village a $13.8 million bond issue to build five (5) sorority Greek houses for large sorority groups, plus four (4) chapter meeting rooms for smaller sorority groups.
- The five (5) sorority houses will be approx.10,400 square feet each and will include 32 beds (fourteen (14) doubles and four (4) singles), private bathrooms (one (1) bath for about every four (4) residents), kitchen, parlor, TV room, conference room, laundry room, and a large 1500 square ft. chapter meeting room. The house exteriors will fit in with the campus décor consisting of two-story, red brick Georgian style designs. Three (3) houses will be on Donaghey Avenue near corner of Donaghey and College, and two (2) houses will be on Augusta.
- The four (4) chapter meeting rooms for smaller groups will eventually become part of a large Greek Community Center Complex located between Augusta and Western Avenues, facing College Avenue. When completed, the Community Center will consist of 750 square ft. chapter meeting rooms for both men and women, adjoining lobby space, small kitchens, and bathrooms. In the middle of the Community Center there are plans for a 5000 square foot multipurpose room, additional lobby space, several offices, bathrooms, and possibly a convenience store/food outlet.
2014
January
Nabholz Construction is selected as the general contractor for the UCA Greek Village project.
April
Ceremonial ground breaking was held on April 25, 2014.
October
Open House held for alumni and community for Homecoming on October 25, 2014. Also, sororities set up tables for attendees to view items they would be placing in their sorority’s time capsule.
2015
August
The first women that got to stay the night in the houses weren’t current members, but rather alumni women who never had the chance to experience Greek Village here at UCA. Over two nights, hundreds of women poured into the Sorority houses for a night of catching-up, story telling and relaxing. Read more here.
September
President Courtway and Board of Trustee Members welcomed alumni and community members who made a donation towards Greek Village for a chance to tour the newly finished houses and NPHC Sorority Complex. Each house had members giving tours around and welcoming everyone into their homes.
October
Homecoming 2015 saw the “official” Grand Opening of the UCA Greek Village. While the official opening had to be cancelled for weather, houses were open to be toured by the campus and Conway community!
2016
The first presentation is made to the Board of Trustees to begin discussing Phase II of Greek Village.
2018
Talks for the second phase of Greek Village are underway. GVII will include construction of Greek fraternity houses for large groups and chapter meeting rooms within the larger Community Center for smaller organizations. The fraternity houses will be similar in design as the sorority houses, but the size may be altered to fit organizational needs and available land space.
2019
Construction has begun on three large fraternity houses for Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Tau Gamma, and Sigma Nu as well as the NPHC men’s complex. The NPHC complex will hold meeting rooms for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Anticipated completion is Summer 2020.
2020
August
Construction delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused the project to take longer than anticipated, but the three fraternity houses are open for residents. Situated on Donaghey and College avenues near the existing sorority houses, each two-story fraternity house is approximately 7,365 square feet with 11 bedrooms for 20 students, a chapter room, living and study rooms, a kitchen and other amenities specific to individual fraternities.
October
The NPHC Fraternity Complex is completed and open for chapter use. The complex includes a chapter room for each of the four fraternities in approximately 4,730 square feet.
2021
Because of COVID-19 distancing restrictions, official celebrations were muted when the facilities first opened. As a result, official ribbon cuttings and open houses were led by President Davis in fall 2021. Each chapter was able to celebrate with their members and alumni for this historic occasion. Read more here.
2023
The Greek Village Project was named as a winner of the Outstanding Change Initiative Award by the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors. Established in 1996, the Outstanding Change Initiative Award is presented to institutions of higher education, and inter/national organizations that have made tremendous progress and improvement in their fraternity/sorority community or organization. The award will be presented during the AFA Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida between November 28 – December 1, 2023. Read the announcement here.