TKE holds ceremonial house opening
The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity held a ribbon-cutting event to unveil its refurbished house to alumni and prospective members on Saturday.

Renovations, including the addition of a kitchen in the basement, full electrical and plumbing repairs and wiring for high-speed Internet, began repairs on the 621 22nd St. house in early July and finished this week.

Donations for the renovations, totaling $150,000, came mainly from alumni and former chapter president Ross Cherry. Members said they cut prices by painting the interior of the house themselves.

The restorations are “building for the future,” fraternity member John Grossi said.

Tau Kappa Epsilon President Matt Heider said the organization hopes to use the house to recruit more freshmen this semester because the majority of members they recruited last year were sophomores and will be graduating next year. He said he is not worried about competition from fraternities housed in Townhouse Row.

“Our rooms cost a third of the price of one on Townhouse Row and are just as nice,” Heider said

Currently, nine members live in the house, but it could easily hold 10 or more members if bunk beds were installed, Grossi said.