Chuck Bleck '90.5

Next year, Delta Upsilon will break ground on our Chapter House renovation plans. But in a way, the chief architect, Charles (Chuck) Bleck ’90.5, has been working on the Chapter House since his college years in the late 1980s.

“Some pretty amazing people have walked in and out of those doors,” Chuck said of the historic structure that’s now approaching 100 years. “The overall character of the building is highly unique, especially in today’s design environment.”

As an undergraduate, Chuck helped with various internal improvements, and he is excited to be part of the renovation project today. Not only did the brotherhood introduce Chuck to his wife, Linda Chiu, but it also helped him to become an architect.

A WILD RIDE

When Chuck was living in the house, he decided to change majors from pre-med to architecture. A fellow brother in the architecture program, Todd Burns ’87, persuaded the school director to let Chuck take some second￾year classes to prove his worth; that deal paid off the next semester when Chuck was admitted. This was one of many examples Chuck can point to in which the DU network helped a brother to succeed in the classroom.

Today, Chuck’s firm Bleck & Bleck Architects can point to many diverse architectural projects on its résumé. These include banks, libraries, restaurants, forest preserve structures, multi-family housing, and more. Some of Chuck’s favorite projects are from the theme park and entertainment space; he’s been involved in over 300 major theme park attractions, including multiple Six Flags and Cedar Fair roller coaster projects. The team’s work at the new Lost Island Themepark in Waterloo, Iowa, included designing everything from the ground up. The firm was responsible for integrating rides into the park, civil engineering, structural designs, and stress analysis. Chuck said, “That team project aspect reminds me of what fraternity life was like.”

DO YOU REMEMBER?

“One highlight my brothers still talk about to this day was being the champion of SigEp’s Fight Night boxing tournament in 1988! It was a very fun two-day event, and having all the DUs there cheering me on had a lot to do with our house winning the competition,” Chuck remembered. 

BUILDING ON GREATNESS

To Chuck, the Chapter House underscores the diversity of Illinois Chapter. “Everybody’s under the same roof, but not a single person—or room—is the same,” he said. “Every single study or sleeping room has a different look to it.”

This shared fondness for our home, along with Chuck’s insights about the existing structure, helped the Chapter choose a renovation project (complete with modern air conditioning) over demolishing the house. “Not that we wouldn’t do a good job with a new building, but I think a part of our Chapter’s character and history would be lost."

As more alumni join the Honoring the Past, Building for the Next Century campaign, Chuck and the fundraising committee look forward to building upon the legacy of our Chapter. “I think if we were in the shoes of today’s undergraduates, we’d want to have guys like us putting the funding and plans together,” he said. “You never know who’s going to walk in those doors next.”

Chuck and his wife and children live in Chicago, Illinois, where he loves keeping up with brothers—especially through sports!