Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity House
Also known as: Illinois Chapter House of Alpha Delta Phi
Why it's listed
Built in 1924-1925 at 310 East John Street in Champaign, this fraternity house was home to the Illinois Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, which cost about $70,000 to build and ranked among the largest Greek houses on the University of Illinois campus. Architect Ralph W. Varney designed it in the formal Tudor Revival manner, using red brick, limestone quoins, parapeted gables, oriel windows, tall chimneys and a slate roof. Inside, a three-story living room with an exposed timber truss roof resembles a Tudor banquet hall, and an oval lobby connects to the dining room. The house was featured in The Architectural Forum in December 1925. It is listed as an intact example of a fraternity house within a group of campus Greek houses, reflecting how such houses became the main form of organized student housing at the university. The period of significance runs from 1925 to 1940, and the building has kept its original floor plan and exterior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the most intact examples of the fraternity or sorority house property type on the Urbana-Champaign campus, reflecting the Greek Letter Society movement and its role in student housing (Criterion A). It is also an excellent and elaborate example of formal Tudor Revival architecture (Criterion C).
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90000752, listed May 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 310 E. John St., Champaign |
|---|---|
| County | Champaign County |
| Listed | May 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000752 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925 - 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Varney, Ralph W.: Architect |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as fraternity housing, with minor exterior material changes and interior modifications for building and life-safety codes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.10926, -88.23381 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90000752.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20710361
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.