The Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, also known as Fiji,"" will return to its house on Langdon Street next fall, as the Madison Landmarks Commission approved plans to renovate the historic building Monday night.
Fiji, which announced a campus comeback in January 2008 after a 10-year hiatus, plans to move into 16 Langdon St., a landmark building owned by the fraternity, but not before extensive renovations.
Plans for renovation include new bathrooms, residential living areas, skylights along the sides of the building, heating equipment and an air conditioning system, according to Amy Hasselman of Architecture Network, who is in charge of the plans.
Such renovations mandate that Fiji also construct an elevator tower that allows handicap accessibility to the building's five floors. The Landmarks Commission granted a Certificate of Appropriateness needed to build the elevator to the fraternity Monday night.
Hasselman said the building's architecture and style is considered in the extensive renovation.
""We're not trying to infringe on the integrity of the building,"" she said. ""We'll match the materials as best we can.""
The elevator dormer will have the same roof pitch as existing dormers and will look like a flat-roofed tower with a pattern to match the rear wing of the building.
Dan Stephans, of the Landmarks Commission, applauded Hasselman's consideration of the building's preservation when designing the plans.
""I really like all of the general details and solutions to the problems with the elevator tower,"" he said. ""It works very well.""
Sigma Pi, another UW-Madison fraternity, has leased the building from Fiji since 2004. Sigma Pi's President Josh Cantor said the fraternity will be moving out next fall but has not yet found a new house.
Hasselman said the renovations will take up to five years and the Fijis must complete major fundraising before work can be finished. She also said the economy might cause some strain on development, but residential floors should be ready for members to move in by fall 2009.
