Alpha Delta Pi Sorority House
Why it's listed
Built in 1926 at the northwest corner of West Nevada Street and South Goodwin Avenue, this sorority house sits at the east edge of the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. The Clare-Alban W. Coen Company of Berwyn designed it in the French Eclectic style. Its brick walls, limestone quoins and stringcourse, steep slate jerkin-head and hip roofs, bay and oriel windows, and a projecting corner entrance with a copper hood and rounded limestone surround define its appearance. A compatible addition was built to the north in 1953. The house was listed for two reasons. As a chapter house, it represents the Greek letter societies that housed students at no state expense and shaped campus social life, particularly during the late 1920s building peak. It also stands as a local example of French Eclectic architecture, with asymmetrical massing and a picturesque chimney. The house remains in use as a sorority residence, and the nomination counts one contributing building.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be significant under Criterion A in the area of Education, as an example of the fraternity and sorority chapter houses that provided student housing and social training at the University of Illinois. It is also significant under Criterion C as a local example of the French Eclectic style with its historic integrity maintained.
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 00001333, listed November 8, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1202 W. Nevada St., Urbana |
|---|---|
| County | Champaign County |
| Listed | November 8, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001333 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926 |
| Architect / builder | Clare-Alban W. Coen Company of Berwyn, Illinois |
| Architectural style | French Eclectic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as education-related housing (sorority house); most windows replaced with vinyl-covered sash but original openings retained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.10621, -88.22426 (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 00001333.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20710373
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.