Land to Build On

Harvard’s expansion plans in Allston have traditionally been met with heated dialogue and suspicion from residents of the local community. Yet on Monday, at the second meeting of two public review sessions held by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, talks between the university and its neighbor barely seemed to simmer.

The university made a commitment—albeit unwritten—to offer up a 0.7-acre site for residential development. The land, which was purchased late last year, is currently occupied by the Brookline Machine Company. The pledge serves as a reminder of Harvard’s commitment to community building and redevelopment in Allston. Moreover, a concession of this scale is rare and generous. The last such contribution of this magnitude occurred in 1998, when the university donated land for an Allston branch of the Boston Public Library.

Despite dissatisfaction with the size of this parcel of land by some Allston residents, we admire the university for its efforts in reaching out to the Allston community. We have seen this not only in providing land but also in pioneering projects such as the Harvard Allston Farmers’ Market—brought to the community in partnership with the Allston Development Group—which brings residents great local produce, baked goods, and specialty vendors. Projects such as this foster community building, improve Harvard’s image, and highlight the university’s dedication to the betterment of an often-terse relationship with its neighbor. Patching up this battered relationship will require more than just one land donation, but it is a great start to thaw the troubled tensions that have plagued what should be a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship.

Harvard’s involvement in residential real-estate development in Allston should continue. The university currently owns a few hundred acres of land in Allston, some of which has been occupied by local businesses but much of which is vacant or part of uncompleted construction projects. The consequences of a construction slowdown at the science complex provide justification and incentive for Harvard to be more proactive about community building projects in Allston. In moving forward, the university should initiate development in ways that promote the intersection of Allston’s interests and its own interests. However the university proceeds, it should keep open a channel of communication with Allston residents as this project continues. Much of the frustrations on the part of residents stem from Harvard being tight-lipped about its current development plans.

For now, Harvard’s proposed land concession is very admirable, and we look forward to a more formal and concrete agreement between Harvard and the City of Boston in the coming days.