The current Alabama Mu chapter house was built in 1953, nearly 100 years after the Founding Fathers attended the school. Housing is important at The University of Alabama, and the school boasts one of the highest-ranked campus housing programs in the nation. While the school can update its housing amenities year-to-year, it is a luxury most other residences cannot afford. In fact, the Alabama Mu House Corporation hasn’t done a renovation since 2006, and before that, it was in 1970.
Seeing the need for renovations, the alumni set their sights on bringing the chapter house up to, and beyond, today’s standards. The current $5 million project is upgrading the infrastructure and modernizing the dormitories, meal, and restroom areas. Two of the most significant plans are building a shaded dining area in the outdoor courtyard and shifting the long-dated communal bathrooms to semi-private suites. During the renovations, the chapter house is still open for tours to generate enthusiasm and show progress throughout the semester.
“There are no undergraduates living-in, and alumni can’t openly visit the building they called ‘home’ for four years. But everyone is excited to see the completed renovations next year. The University has also been a great partner by providing space for our members to eat and meet while the house is under construction,” said Alabama House Corporation President Hugh Miller (’85).