After a ten-year hiatus from the campus, the Pikes returned to Florida State as only the Pikes could, by constructing the largest and grandest fraternity house in America. At 55,000 square feet, it set the standard for size and function for a generation of fraternity houses to come. The Mansion was built primarily from funds raised from alumni members, primary those who enjoyed and lived in the Grand Mansion on Wildwood drive who wanted nothing more than to emulate that incredible experience on the newly created Fraternity Row in Heritage Grove. A fundraising campaign chaired by Brent Sembler was so successful that even the consultants hired to advise the Pike Alumni marveled at the competitive nature and generosity of the FSU Pikes.
Heritage Grove was the brainchild of FSU President Sandy D’Alemberte who put FSU’s Pike faithful to the test to help build a new Fraternity Row on the new edge of campus. Andy Miller and Charlie Barnes were instrumental in securing support from other fraternities and alumni like David Rancourt helped secure the infrastructure funding from the state of Florida to help make the project feasible. While Heritage Grove has not yet fulfilled its potential as home to FSU Greeks, for reasons mostly unrelated to the location and beauty of the property, the Pikes secured the very best location in the property. It is impossible to drive onto the property or even drive by on Ocala Road and miss this massive, yet elegant structure.
Click Here: For Charlie Barnes narrative of the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of The Grand Mansion.
Coming Soon: Click here to learn about the Legends of the Delta Lambda and the Campaign to Build the Mansion.
