Penn State plans to buy the former fraternity house where hazing occurred, leading to the death of Timothy Piazza in 2017, after reaching an agreement with the property owner.
The university board of trustees' finance committee voted Thursday to pay $7.3 million dollars for the building, located at 220 N. Burrowes Road on the University Park campus.
Penn State had sold the on-campus property to the fraternity’s Alpha Upsilon chapter in 1928. The deed required the sale of the property back to Penn State if it stopped being used as a fraternity.
The death of Piazza led to the revoking of the fraternity’s charter and closing of the fraternity.
Penn State’s senior vice president for finance Sara Thorndike said the fraternity will be used as “swing space” for now.
“The university is in the process of updating our master plan," Thorndike said. "As part of that master planning process, we would evaluate what the long-term best use of this property would be as we move forward.”
Thorndike said the university has been in litigation related to the property since 2018. The university's appraisal put the property value at $5.45 million. Alpha Upsilon had two appraisals — one in 2019 valuing the property at $13.1 million, and one in 2024 valuing the property at $12.25 million.
Settlement negotiations led to the $7.3 million sales price.
Penn State’s full board of trustees will vote on the purchase Friday.
