After moving into a new house, Phi Delta Theta fraternity members are beginning a fund-raising campaign to pay for the cost of the new house and further renovations.

The fraternity has undertaken a campaign to fund the house, located at 2035 Sunset Drive, called “The Campaign for Iowa Gamma — Building the Future.”

“Right now we’re simply trying to pay off the house that we just bought,” house president Benji Deal said. “The fund raiser that is going on right now is going to pay off this house.”

Deal said the house members are asking for alumni contributions.

“We had our 85th anniversary celebration with all of our alumni last week during Homecoming,” said Deal, junior in mathematics. “It was the kickoff for our fund-raising campaign. The sale of the old house will go to some of the cost, but we are mainly hoping that our alumni contribute for most of the cost.”

The campaign is the largest construction effort the fraternity has undertaken since the fraternity was first chartered in 1913.

Highlights of the renovation will include a complete remodeling of the living room and a state of the art computer and study room, according to a press release. All bedrooms will be remodeled and connected to the university computer system and Parks Library.

“It is a whole lot newer and nicer. The change of structure and location is very nice,” said Travis Baker, house member and sophomore in agricultural systems technology. “Structurally, it is a big change from the old house, which was not in that great of shape.”

Baker said the new house is in “very good” shape.

“Overall, it was time for a change,” he said.

The chapter moved into the disbanded Alpha Phi sorority house before school year started.

“We’ve been looking for a new house for around 10 years now,” Deal said. “We were just deciding on what steps we wanted to take and how to accomplish it.”

The building has had a rich and long history, Deal said. Before the sorority renovated the building, it was a Mormon church.

“The alter used to be where our living room is,” Deal said. “Our dining room used to be the gym floor, and when you go upstairs you can see rafters like you see in a church.”