The KWK Architects/Jenkins • Peer Architects design team has transformed an outdated Greek housing area at North Carolina State University (NC State) into a trio of housing options in the university’s new Greek Village for a total of 279 beds and nearly 100,000 sq. ft. of living space.
The new housing includes three different models – Chapter Commons, which has townhomes for three medium-sized fraternities with dining; Greek Village Townhomes, designed for smaller fraternities and sororities; and an apartment building designed for upper-level students.
“The project is one of the final pieces of a larger goal and commitment from the university to provide Greek life experience to all diverse groups,” said KWK Principal Javier Esteban.
Located in the heart of the Raleigh, NC campus, the Phase 4 project started in spring 2021 with demolition of the Pi Beta Phi house, Alpha Delta Pi house, outdated entomology labs and a duplex on the site. The land had been occupied by Greek chapters for more than 40 years.
NC State’s Greek Village Master Plan, originally developed by the university’s Greek Court Redevelopment Task Force and designed by Sam Reynolds of Reynolds & Jewell Architects in 2006, is a five-phased redevelopment plan to replace aging infrastructure and provide modern amenities and multiple housing options for the university’s fraternity and sorority community. A total of 21 building lots were made available in the multi-phased plan that would remove existing university-owned houses.
Construction of Phase 4 was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused material prices to escalate and order delays. Despite the challenges, the general contractor on the project, Blum Construction, was able to complete the project with excited students from various fraternities and sororities moving into the new housing units in August 2023.
“The completion of Greek Village Phase IV represents a significant milestone towards the completion of the five-phase master plan. Jenkins Peer, along with our partner KWK, are grateful to have been selected to provide the design vision for this transformative project,” said Jenkins • Peer Architects Principal Ben Benson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “The new housing, which provides three different occupancy models, accommodates student organizations who previously did not have the opportunity to be a part of the Greek community. Phase IV has become the heart of Greek Village and creates a place and space for all student organizations to feel a sense of belonging and presence.”
KWK/Jenkins • Peer Architects designed the new four-story, 62,048-square-foot apartment building for upper-level students to include 147 beds. All the apartment units have single bedrooms and feature full-sized beds, large living rooms and full kitchens. The complex also features communal coworking spaces, a community lounge and a shared laundry facility on the first floor.
The three-story Chapter Commons features three, 25-person units with a shared dining room with seating for about 88 people, which also doubles as a large meeting room or classroom with AV capabilities, a large screen, two flat screen panels, adjustable lighting and a sound system.
Greek Village Townhomes for the smallest organizations features six large townhomes that range in size from 5 to 14 beds. The building also includes a multipurpose room, two communal laundry rooms, and a large back patio area for hosting events.
