Two neighboring fraternity buildings in State College are for sale: The house on East Fairmount Avenue is listed at $3.65 million dollars; the fraternity it backs up to on East Prospect Avenue is listed at $4.75 million dollars.
While a house with 30 bedrooms and three bathrooms might not appeal to everyone, it could be what another fraternity or sorority shopping for a home is looking for. And borough zoning limits what other uses the buildings could have.
State College Planning Director Ed LeClear said fraternities are not allowed in most of the borough’s zoning districts. But there is an exception for fraternities that were there before the zoning took effect. It's what's know as a "preexisting nonconformity."
“In Pennsylvania, zoning can't be retroactive," LeClear said. "So as long as they continue to use the property as a fraternity, it can continue in that use.”
The buildings could also be used as single-family homes or churches. A special exception granted by the zoning board could allow for a few other uses, such as a daycare. The listing for the Prospect Avenue property says it’s leased through 2026.
“We have seen a number of sororities come off campus over the last few years and go into some of the off campus fraternity buildings," LeClear said. "And that seems to be happening more and more these days.”
The buildings cannot become boarding houses.
If a buyer is a fraternity or sorority, LeClear said they have to submit a letter from the national organization indicating that they're in good standing.
"And then we also check the leases to make sure that a majority of the individuals living in the property are members of that fraternity or sorority," LeClear said. "We treat fraternities and sororities the same way in the borough."
