The future of Greek Row is no longer completely uncertain.

The existing structures will be torn down by May 2012 to make way for new housing, said Julie Payne Kirchmeier, director of university housing.

In 2004, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the Fire Sprinkler Dormitory Act, which requires dormitories at all colleges and universities in Illinois to have fire sprinkler systems installed by Jan. 1, 2013.

Kirchmeier said it would be too expensive to install new sprinklers in the Greek facilities and the university is now opting to completely replace the old buildings. Greek Row housing was built during the 1950s and has a history of water damage and molding because of storms.

‘We’re listening to them, and we know the current facilities are not meeting their needs,’ Kirchmeier said.

Kirchmeier said the university has some legal decisions in place for private partnerships and is planning small, group housing to be built in the same area. The group housing will serve as a new Greek Row as well as multi-functional facilities with varying price levels that a wide range of incomes could afford.

Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said there has been interest from students other than Greeks to use the housing such as law groups, international and faith based, which would also fall under the umbrella of small, group housing.

Kirchmeier said, with the help of private partnerships, the university might be able to build a small, multi functional, group-housing area for less than $26 million, which was the cost of the Wall & Grand Apartments.

Despite the deteriorating living conditions and the future of the buildings, the three remaining sororities on Greek Row are keeping with tradition by introducing new students to Greek life.

Andy Morgan, coordinator for Greek Life, said while university enrollment has declined, Greek numbers are increasing.

Amanda Reiff, Greek recruitment director and a senior from Murphysboro studying elementary education, said Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Zeta and Sigma Kappa are expecting more than 150 women to participate in the formal recruitment process that started Wednesday.

The recruitment process consists of four stages and encompasses the better part of five days, said Meg Quinn, Panhellenic president and a senior from Brookfield studying special education. Potential recruits will have a chance to tour each house, learn the history of the sororities and determine their top two choices, Quinn said.

Reiff said the recruitment counselors electronically rate each potential new member and match her to a sorority. The sororities offer students a support system, group housing and nationally funded scholarships, she said.

‘People make connections. (This is) their home away from home,’ Reiff said.