Proposed Sigma Chi Fraternity Deemed Too Massive for Historic Athens, Ga., Neighborhood

The Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday voted 5 to 1 to deny an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Milledge Avenue Development Group, LLC. The group wants to build a new Sigma Chi fraternity house on an empty lot on North Milledge Avenue where St. Mary’s Hospital once was, between Meigs Street and Hancock Avenue.

If the fraternity were built, it would be the first on North Milledge.

Many residents of Cobbham, the neighborhood that borders the lot, vehemently oppose the construction of a fraternity house on the property. They contend the scale of the project is too massive for the narrow lot; there's not enough room for parking; parking on the street would create problems for everyone; and the sometimes rowdy nature of fraternities would create noise and trash problems.

On Wednesday, however, the main concerns they mentioned were the scale of the project and its close proximity to the street, which would make it seem even larger. The current design shows it as 1 and 1/3 times wider than the nearby Lucy Cobb Institute, said Amy Kissane, director of the Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation, which advocates for historic preservation.

Brad A. Kohl, agent for John F. McMullan / Milledge Avenue Development Group, LLC, said he didn't want comment for this story after the vote was taken.

Cobbham resident Clint McCrory, a retired UGA mathematics professor who is leading the charge in opposing the proposed fraternity, said that he doubts the fraternity's supporters are simply going to go elsewhere.

Two months from Wednesday, the applicants can again apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. The group can also begin the process for obtaining a special use permit, though this is a more complex, more rigorous process since it's driven by ordinances, McCrory said. The applicants would need to supply information about traffic counts, parking, the proposed use and target use, among other things.

"I think they may just go back to the drawing board," he said. "The Chi Phi's submitted major revisions before their design was accepted."

You may also be interested in reading:

Sigma Chi Wants to Return to Cobbham

Cobbham Neighborhood Opposes Potential Fraternity House Construction

Sigma Chi House Plans Review Contested by Cobbham Residents

Sigma Chi Will be Crowded by New Terry College

President Adams to Cobbham: Sigma Chi A "Pretty Good Use" of Land

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