University News | December 6, 2019

Harvard Square under reconstruction

A familiar place’s new faces

From The January-February 2020 Issue

Photograph of major construction projects in Harvard Square

Photograph by Jim Harrison

Returning visitors may find themselves disoriented as familiar haunts undergo major makeovers, shown here in mid November. The triangle between JFK and Brattle Streets (foreground) is being rebuilt as a high-end retail mall. The offices over Brattle (plywooded windows to the rear), also in new ownership, are being renovated. And Out of Town News has closed.

Published in the January-February 2020 print issue under the headline “Restructuring Harvard Square,” in the John Harvard's Journal section.

Related topics

University News

You might also like

Weeks footbridge with its arches reflected in calm water under a blue sky.

Harvard Alumni Affairs Databases Breached

The University is investigating the cyberattack, which may have compromised the personal information of alumni, donors, students, faculty, and staff.

Two books on a wooden table; one is hardcover with a green cover, the other is in a box.

Harvard Law School Releases Digital Archive of Nuremberg Trials

Thousands of documents chronicle the Nazi regime and the legal effort to exact justice.

Lawrence Summers in a suit at a podium with a microphone, looking serious.

Summers Takes Leave Amid Harvard Probe

Previously undisclosed Epstein links to Harvard affiliates leads to a University review.

Most popular

Howard Koh speaks at the 2025 "Beyond Shelter" symposium held at Harvard

Harvard Symposium Tackles 400 Years of Homelessness in America

Professors explore the history of homelessness in the U.S., from colonial poor laws to today’s housing crisis

Skyline view of Harvard University with trees in autumn colors and a river under a cloudy sky.

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.

An illustrative portrait of Justice Roberts in a black robe, resting his chin on his hand.

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two women in traditional Japanese clothing sitting on a wooden platform near a tranquil pond, surrounded by autumn foliage.

Museums & Collections

Japan As It Never Will Be Again

Harvard’s Stillman collection showcases glimpses of the Meiji era.

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

Social Sciences

Why America’s Strategy For Reducing Racial Inequality Failed

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

A man in a gray suit sits confidently in a vintage armchair, holding a glass.

The Life of a Harvard Spy

Richard Skeffington Welch’s illustrious—and clandestine—career in the CIA