This past June, The Board of Trustees approved a proposal to embark on a significant renovation of the house. With only two months before the start of fall semester, project managers John Zimmermann (Col ’81) and Dave Edwards (Col ’90) prioritized projects from a long list of items needing to be addressed.
We first tackled the failing and obsolete HVAC systems on the second and third floors of the house. New air handlers and condensers were installed along with a heat pump for Topsides. These systems can be controlled on-site or long distance via Wifi. Air ducts were cleaned and vents replaced. Mini splits were installed in all four bedrooms in the Outback and the mini split in the kitchen was upgraded. These systems not only made the house far more comfortable during the brutal Charlottesville heat and humidity, they also enabled us to remove all window AC units which were causing water penetration into the walls of the house.
Our next project was to replace every window in the house with Pella Lifestyle Series double hung windows. Between the new HVAC system and new energy efficient windows, we expect to significantly reduce our gas and electric bills. We also converted most interior and exterior lights to LEDs, upgraded the Wifi access points, and removed obsolete phone and cable wires throughout the house.
We hired a carpenter to replace broken doors, door trim, windowsills and baseboards in both buildings. And then came an incredibly challenging project: repairing, plastering, and painting almost every room in the house. The walls in most rooms were in bad shape and some bedroom ceilings were collapsing due to prior water penetration. The rooms were showing years of wear and tear. However, the end result is nothing short of spectacular. We believe this is the best the house has ever looked.
We used funds from the Phi Educational Endowment Fund to refurnish the chapter room. This fund is designated to be used to enhance or create study spaces at the Phi House. We worked in conjunction with the University Building Department to purchase commercial grade furniture which should last for many years. The furniture selected is the same furniture purchased for the recently renovated Shannon Library.
These projects were complete by the time the brothers started fall semester. However, one major project is still ongoing and hopefully is complete by the time this edition of the Phiner Times is published: the second-floor bathroom renovation. The second floor bathroom was created in 1980 by combing two ensuite bathrooms and the “phone room”. Over the last 44 years it had been renovated five times; each time layering more tile over existing tile. We removed several tons of debris including four layers of ceramic tile, two layers of linoleum and over three inches of concrete. We replaced all rotted studs, joists and subfloor, and rebuilt the room in the same configuration with one notable change: the addition of two closets containing stackable washer dryers. The finishing touch is a large stainless steel Greek Phi in each of the three shower stalls. The brothers living in the house have been incredibly patient as this project has dragged on, however we believe the end result will be worth the wait.
Over the winter break, we plan to renovate the two bathrooms in the Outback, upgrade the bathroom in the basement, plaster and paint the kitchen, and install a new smart thermostat to control the boiler in the basement.
We are proud of what we have accomplished, however we still have more work to do to ensure the house continues to serve Phis for many years to come.
