Harvard and the City: A Progress Report

Harvard's fight to evict tenants from an apartment building at 7 Sumner Rd. is finally drawing to a close, but a number of other University projects that touch on Cambridge are far from over--and some have been running battles for much longer than the two-year old Sumner Rd. affair.

What follows is a list of Harvard projects, their current status, and the likely outcome:

122 1/2 Mt. Auburn St--This Harvard-owned apartment building on the corner of Mt. Auburn St. and University Road has been a focus of controversy for several years, since controversy for several years, since Harvard started refusing to let new tenants move in when old ones left. Sally Zeckhauser, president of Harvard Real Estate, said recently that no decision has still been made about the site, and added that while no new tenants had moved in, few had left. "The building population is about stable," she said.

The University has a number of options for the large, aging building, Zeckhauser and other University officials have said in the past. It could be renovated--in which case, Zeckhauser says, it would be more efficient to have the building empty before work began--or it could be razed and something new erected in its place. If that something new isn't rental housing, many across the city are sure to complain.

The DiGiovanni parking lot--located right next to 122 1/2 Mt. Auburn St., this tract was purchased by Harvard for $4 million more than a year ago. Again Harvard has announced no definite plans, but University officials are meeting with a group of community residents to discuss possible uses for the open lot. When it bought the land. Harvard promised to put housing on the land. Major questions to be answered include how many homes will be built, and how expensive they will be, and University officials are quick to caution that the hefty price paid for the land makes luxury homes "likely" and all but rules out extensive low--and moderate--income development.

The Cambridge St. overpass--When Harvard built the overpass connecting the Yard to the Science Center and donated the resulting tunnel to the city, Cambridge thought it was getting a break. But once the tunnel started to crack and leak, causing maintenance headaches and traffic problems, they weren't so sure.

Cambridge's suit, asking nearly a million dollars in damages, is still in the hands of the lawyers. Both sides say they are meeting and making progress.

Harvard's report to the community--Originally due more than a year ago, University officials have delayed this report pending a final city decision on guidelines to control University expansion. "It wouldn't make sense for us to put it out until; we know what the city is going to do." Lewis Armistead, Harvard's assistant to the vice-president for government and community relations, said.