Sunday family dinners
The commercial kitchen runs 2–3 meals a day. Brothers gather in the dining room the way alumni still talk about doing fifty years later.
The Epsilon Zeta New House Initiative
The next chapter
starts here.
A new home for Sigma Chi at Florida State, opening Fall 2028.
I am hopeful that this video, my passion, and my aspirations — inspires you and others to make a meaningful donation to this New House Initiative. It would mean a lot to me, and I look forward to sharing our plans and objectives with you.
Campaign progress
Where we are toward Fall 2028.
$0.0M
Raised of $13M goal
0%
Of goal raised
0
Donors
Leaderboard
The race to the house.
See who’s leading the charge.
Why now
Brotherhood has outgrown the house we built it in.
Since rechartering in 2023, Epsilon Zeta has grown to 155 active brothers, posted a 3.48 chapter GPA, and put more than 50 of its members into campus leadership. The .19-acre house on Pensacola Street, modest, social-only, decades old, can no longer carry the chapter we’ve become.
The house we have was built for a different era. The house we’re building is for the next fifty years.
The vision
A house that competes with the best housing on campus.
Conceptualized by Rick Harpenau ’80, a Florida-licensed general contractor, the new chapter house sits on a .65-acre site at 809 W. Pensacola Street—directly across from the current house and one block from FSU’s campus core. The thoughtful layout, elevated finish level, and expanded residential capacity put Epsilon Zeta into the top tier of fraternity housing at Florida State and set the chapter up to transform recruitment for a generation.
- 35 bedrooms, two stories, with underground parking for ~32
- Eight 4×4 pod-style layouts: kitchen sink, fridge, washer/dryer per pod
- 26 private bathrooms, 12 shared
- Full commercial kitchen with dining for 175 members
- Library, weight room, Consul Suite, live-in Resident Manager
- Expansive front porch, basketball court, pickleball court, tailgate area
The lot
3.4× the current site, directly across the street.
The new .65-acre site at 809 W. Pensacola Street replaces a .19-acre footprint. Topography supports underground parking and the location is one block from FSU’s campus core, walkable to the stadium and academic buildings. View the lot on Google Street View →
Daily life
What it feels like to live here.
A house is what you do in it. These are the everyday moments the new chapter house is built to make easy.
Pod brotherhood
Eight 4×4 pods, each with its own kitchen, living room, and laundry. The friend group you initiate with becomes the people you live with.
Game-day tailgates
Forty-car underground garage opens to a tailgate court. One block from the stadium, the chapter house becomes the destination on every home Saturday.
Library + weight room
Quiet study and a full weight room on the same floor as the chapter common spaces. The 3.48 chapter GPA stays a fixture, not a milestone.
Leadership behind the campaign
A committed board, a $3M lead gift,
and the endorsement of the national Foundation.
Lead donor
Rick Harpenau, Florida State 1980
$3M total commitment · Florida-licensed General Contractor
“Inspired by my father’s legacy, shaped by the Sigma Chi experience, and grateful for the lifelong friendships I made at Epsilon Zeta, this is my opportunity to give back. We now have the chance to build something truly special—something that will serve generations of Sigma Chi men.”
Rick served as House Manager for three years during undergrad, has built more than fifty custom homes across Florida, and developed residential communities throughout South Florida. His $3M total commitment includes a $500K Bell Chapter Endowment—a perpetual leadership-training fund that places Epsilon Zeta in the top 5% of chapters nationally.
House Corporation board
- Glenn Gsell ’79 President
- Rick Harpenau ’80 Builder / Developer
- Carlton Dean ’96 Commercial Realtor
- Lane Smith ’73 Property Investments
- Mike Taggart ’72 Realtor
- Marcus Edenfield ’06 Realtor / Homebuilder
- Bill Bachtler ’76 Builder
- Carl Ferrell ’73 Local Builder
“Rick is highly capable and deeply committed. I believe he is well deserving of the trust and support required for an undertaking of this scale.”
Mike Greenberg · President, Sigma Chi Foundation
“Epsilon Zeta is recognized as an Endowed Bell Chapter in our national publications. The chapter’s standing across the Fraternity makes this house a worthy investment.”
Andrew Musgrove · Director of Development, Sigma Chi (SE)
“The 4×4 layout is the difference between recruiting against the top fraternities at FSU and recruiting alongside them. This house is a generational pull.”
Ross Ellis · Consul, Epsilon Zeta
Named spaces
The rooms claimed so far.
Every named space carries a permanent dedication. As commitments come in, each room here flips from Available to the donor’s name. View the full naming opportunity board on the Founders Wall.
How alumni are joining
Make your impact on the next 50 years of Epsilon Zeta.
Every commitment level matters. Naming opportunities and recognition vary by tier; donors who opt in are recognized on the Founders Wall. All donations over $500K are tax-deductible and are sent directly to the Sigma Chi Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. To provide transparency and confidence, grassroots donations are deposited locally in Tallahassee and remain 100% refundable upon request prior to the start of construction.
Cornerstone
$1,000,000+
The campaign’s lead position. Actual cornerstone & bronze plaque recognition, lifetime Founders Wall placement, and personal walkthroughs with Rick and the design team.
- Building cornerstone & bronze plaque recognition
- Personal walkthrough with Rick Harpenau and the design team
- Lifetime Founders Wall placement
- Campaign milestone updates direct from Rick
- Private dedication-day reception, Fall 2028
Founder · $500,000+
Floor naming
Name an entire floor: First Floor, Second Floor, or Dining Rm & Kitchen. Permanent dedication plaque and Founders Wall placement.
Chairman’s Club · $150,000+
Major room naming
Library & Alumni Lounge, Front Porch, Grand Staircase, or Garage. Founders Wall placement and dedication-day invitation.
White Cross · $50,000+
Common space naming
TV & Student Lounge, Chapter Room, Basketball-Pickleball Court, or Landscape & Hardscape. Founders Wall placement.
Constantine
$25,000+
Weight Room, Pod common areas, Consul Suite, restrooms, and other dedicated naming opportunities. Founders Wall placement.
Badge Level
$1,000+
Founders Wall placement. Quarterly construction update with photos and milestones.
Norman Shield
$500+
Every gift counts toward the remaining $5.5M balance to raise. Recognition on the Founders Wall for donors who opt in.
Larger gifts may qualify as tax-deductible through Sigma Chi’s 501(c)(3) Foundation. Donors may contribute appreciated assets, securities, or qualified retirement-account distributions. Please consult your financial advisor.
Add your name
The next fifty years moves with you.
$7.68M raised of $13M. $5.3M to raise. Fall 2028 opening. The campaign moves with you.
For Leadership Gifts of $100,000 or more, contact Rick directly to discuss naming opportunities, wire transfers, and gifts of stock or appreciated assets.