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Writer's pictureKip Barton

“Our house is a very, very, very fine house with two cats in the yard”


The ΣΑΕ fraternity house at 5076 College Place, on the campus of San Diego State University, concluded its Extreme Makeover this past Fall. The original house architect, Dick Lareau, was consulted on all new designs.


Mike “Mad Dog” Matson and Gary Losey began working to transform the old downstairs TV and pledge meeting room into the True Gentlemen room in 2010. Mad Dog’s original concept drawing is on page 25. The renovation includes: handmade faux curved limestone wall blocks, time capsule under the hearthstone filled with an autographed ΣΑΕ Phoenix, two sculptured cold case bronze lion pedestals, sky painted ceiling, LED lighting, custom crown molding, curved amphitheater seating, curved tables, handmade faux curved limestone fireplace mantel with the inscription, “HOW CAN I WARM THEE IF THY HEART BE COLD?” This is the same inscription on the fireplace at the Levere Memorial Temple at the National Headquarters. Portraits of the eight ΣΑΕ Founding Fathers and the inscription of The True Gentlemen are currently being handmade. Mad Dog and Gary Losey spent over 6,000 man hours over nine years creating the True Gentleman. Room.

Gary Losey designed a permanent ΣΑΕ dining room with two large industrial steel table bases, colored concrete tops, set inside two large custom built u-shape booths and extensive electrical outlets.


Mike Pack donated the full cost of the new house flooring. Designed by Gary Losey and Mike Matson, the flooring is luxury vinyl plank, custom Talavera Mexican tile on the stair risers, curved steel flat-bar stair nose guards, custom bronze floor plaques in the entry, upstairs and downstairs hallways. The Dick Troncone bronze plaque is 6’w x 8’h weighing over 500 pounds.


A special Phi Alpha all of the Brothers who gave their time and treasure to make this a reality! The names of the donors who gave $5,000+ were engraved on the brass floor plaques; Mike Pack, Scot Briggs, John Wortmann, Jeff Byoards, Bill Marquardt.


Mike Pack also contracted out directly and paid for the entire front wood deck and front concrete entry to be repaired and epoxy coated.... and the ΣΑΕ letters on the roof repainted.




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