Throughout the spring semester, members of the MSU chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha fought the national fraternity’s decision to sell the property to Inman. The fraternity pled its case with city officials but were unsuccessful because of a purchase agreement between Inman and the national fraternity’s housing corporation, Lambda Chi Alpha Properties Inc., or LCAP.

Although Inman has not yet purchased the house, he plans to purchase the property before the contract expires, likely at an assessed value of between $300,000 and $350,000. That number falls below the expected $806,000 the national fraternity had requested from the local chapter to purchase the property in 2007.

Despite the site plan approval by the commission, community development analyst Tim Schmitt said there still are a few more steps for Inman.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Schmitt said. “He needs to acquire building permits. And the (commission) will need to see the finalized details of the plan.”

Inman said he and his business partner, Michael Dowdle, are working with architects to finish the plan for submittal to the commission and for permits, a process he expects to take 30-45 days.

“After that, we’ll hire the contractors,” Inman said. “And we’ll start the demolition of the inside. The outside will remain intact.”

The site plan calls for an addition to the structure’s rear, which cannot be visible from the street, in accordance with a historic district ordinance.

The Historic District Commission is worried about one main aspect, Schmitt said.

“They just want to see how (the plan) will be integrated into the old facade,” he said. “As long as they meet that, it should be good to go.”

Plywood panels recently have been placed in the windows of the house to secure the property for interior demolition work, said Tim Dempsey, East Lansing planning and development director.

The local fraternity signed a lease March 29 at the former Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, 342 N. Harrison Road. Lambda Chi Alpha’s new lease with Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s national fraternity gives it first chance to re-sign for up to two years following the 2010-11 lease, but anything after that is uncertain.

The 128 Collingwood Drive house had to be sold by the LCAP, as the national fraternity had been financially supporting the house for decades, said Michael Smith, chairman of LCAP’s board.

Smith said he was not up-to-date with the local chapter’s new location.

The local fraternity is not mad at anyone on the local level, said Dan Shupe, president of the MSU chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha.

“Investors were looking for a property to make money and they did, (the) city did, legally, what they had to do,” Shupe said. “I’m a bit perturbed at the national fraternity; what they did wasn’t very brotherly.”

Shupe said any time 80 years of history is lost is a sad occasion. But better times might lie ahead, he said.

“I’m not happy we can’t call 128 Collingwood home anymore,” Shupe said.

“But the new house is in much better shape. I’m quite optimistic for the future.”