Imagine a sisterhood managing a growing organization. That’s the story of Alpha Kappa Alpha National Office. The sorority needed a professional staff. So Alpha Kappa Alpha opened its first National Office in Chicago during 1949.
Initially, the National Office was in the Washington Park Bank Building. In October 1952, Alpha Kappa Alpha bought its first permanent headquarters. It was a four-story building at 5211 South Greenwood. The membership more than doubled between 1958 and 1978. The needed services outgrew the location.
At the 1978 Boule, delegates voted to sell the Greenwood building. They undertook a new Capital Improvement Project. The goal was to raise $1 million. This would increase the building fund. The sorority wanted to own the building outright and be debt-free. Chicago’s first woman mayor, Jane Byrne, approved land for Alpha Kappa Alpha. She wanted a group of women to own the property.
In July 1985, the Ivy Center was built for Alpha Kappa Alpha members. Founder Lavinia Norman dedicated and named the Ivy Center. The original design was two stories and 16800 square feet. More space was needed. International conference delegates voted to add a third floor and storage area. Members funded the addition through a capital assessment. This Corporate Office Improvement Project ensured the building’s continual maintenance. In 1992, the Ivy Center was renovated. The third floor was added.
To anticipate additional growth, the International Building and Properties Committee formed a Corporate Office Renovation team. The team included the International President CEO, Board of Directors, and Corporate Office staff. The CORP team developed a design and renovation timeline for the Ivy Center. Construction began in October 2016. The project finished at the end of 2017. On May 4, 2018, the Ivy Center Ribbon Cutting and Open House took place. The modern, newly designed, and renovated structure was unveiled.
Alpha Kappa Alpha remains debt-free on the Ivy Center building. From humble beginnings to a modern center Alpha Kappa Alpha National Office stands as a testament to sisterhood. It also represents service and strategic growth. It shows how women can shape their own institutions.