Allston Work Team recommendations endorsed by Harvard Corporation

The Allston Work Team's development recommendations have been endorsed by the Harvard Corporation.

The Corporation has approved the recommendations of the Allston Work Team (released last June) for various Harvard development projects, and a schedule for pursuing near-term actions. The decisions were outlined in a September 19 letter to the community from executive vice president Katie Lapp:

  • Academic planning for a life-and health-sciences center—what Harvard units would use it, and how—to be built on the foundation for the initial Allston science complex (where work was halted in late 2009), is to be completed by next June. Presumably, new architectural and engineering plans for the re-envisioned complex would follow. But the University indicated that construction will rely on funds raised in the forthcoming capital campaign.
  • By next March, the University intends to issue requests for proposals to third-party developers who would create Harvard-affiliated rental housing and retail facilities at the intersection of Western Avenue and North Harvard Street, beyond Harvard Business School and the Stadium.
  • Following the science and residential initiatives, Harvard will identify partners for the “enterprise business campus” and hotel-conference center envisioned for the 36-acre Allston Landing North site, near the Charles River. Successful planning for these two phases of work should enable Harvard to engage the Boston Redevelopment Authority by late 2012—the first step in creating an institutional master plan that will guide work in the area in coming years.

This roadmap—in scale with the complexity of the development envisioned, and the necessary financing and partnerships involved—probably gives the Allston community a more realistic vision for what might unfold, even if the schedule is slower than neighbors might hope.

You might also like

Harvard Announces Four University Professors

Catherine Dulac, Noah Feldman, Claudia Goldin, and Cumrun Vafa receive the University’s highest faculty distinction.

Creepy Crawlies and Sticky Murder Weapons at Harvard

In the shadows of Singapore’s forests, an ancient predator lies in wait—the velvet worm.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

The Teen Brain

It’s a paradoxical time of development. These are people with very sharp brains, but they’re not quite sure what to do with them...

Explore More From Current Issue

Illustration of tiny doctors working inside a large nose against a turquoise background.

A Flu Vaccine That Actually Works

Next-gen vaccines delivered directly to the site of infection are far more effective than existing shots.

A diverse group of adults and children holding hands, standing on varying levels against a light blue background.

Why America’s Strategy For Reducing Racial Inequality Failed

Harvard professor Christina Cross debunks the myth of the two-parent Black family.