The Sigma Chi home at 106 Cayuga Heights Road was a wedding gift to Irene Castle when she married Captain Robert E. Treman of Ithaca on May 3, 1919. She was an accomplished film star and dancer. Castle was rumored to throw lavish parties and fill the pool with champagne and salt water. She also built a two-story cage for her pet monkey; the room is now called the Monkey Bar. Sigma Chi bought the house in 1924. It gained a major addition in 1959 and was later renovated during the 2003-2004 school year that brought it up to the standards required for the 21st century.

The great hall that makes up the southern wing of Greystone is a long and stately room with high ceilings suitable for ballroom dancing. The beautiful rafters in the Great Hall are made of Ethiopian cherry wood, a rare wood imported by the builders. The current “Sweetheart” room directly inside the front foyer is dedicated to the many women who have been selected as the “Sweetheart” of the fraternity each year. The library on the right of the main foyer maintains its old charm with its wood-paneled walls and bookcases.

Behind this is the large dining room and kitchen where the brothers eat their daily meals and entertain their friends. The living areas upstairs were completely rebuilt to provide the comfort, safety, and convenience we all expect. Needless to say the house has wireless internet access throughout, plus cable TV connections in the rooms. A fire sprinkler system was installed, and the public areas were upgraded.

The grounds are spotted with patios that look out over one of the earliest swimming pools in Ithaca. We host pool parties and barbecues in the late spring and early fall, which serve as cornerstones of our social schedule each semester.

Our house is a place we all know, love, and respect. The history, quality, and originality of this structure go beyond just wood and nails, but represent the relationships that are built within its walls.