Senate Approves Land For Building-on-Stilts

John Briston Sullivan's petition to buy land across from Littauer Center for an office building on stilts passed the state Senate yesterday, 20 to 9.

On a last-ditch motion by Sen. Fred I. Lamson, Jr. of Malden, the legislation must come up for reconsideration today or Monday. Despite the delaying action, however, reliable sources expect it to pass the Senate and, subsequently, the House, without too much trouble.

The Senate voted a suspension of the rules to speed action on the bill, Senate 137, which was reported out of the Committee on Cities this Monday.

If the bill passes the House, it will then go to the Cambridge City Council, where a simple majority will allow the sale. At a public hearing in January before the Committee on Cities, five of the nine councilors--John D. Lynch, Thomas M. McNamara, Walter J. Sullivan, Andrew T. Trodden, and Alfred E. Vellucci--registered their approval of the sale.

The Sullivan proposal, a 15 story office building on stilts, would have perhaps two stories of ramp-type parking and an MTA bus terminal on the ground and subground levels. Inherent in the plans is a transfer of heavy MTA traffic from the kiosk to the site over the present trackless trolley entrance and exit on the northern edge of the Square, technically part of the Cambridge Common.

The Legislature must pass on proposed sale of all Massachusetts land formerly used as park land or significant for its historic value.

In a letter made public yesterday, the Cambridge Civic Association strenuously urged opposition to "the sale of any part of Cambridge Common for private profit." Signatures included those of President Pusey, President Bunting, and James R. Killian, chairman of the M.I.T. Corporation.

Specific Objections

The group listed the following specific objections: the MTA has failed to approve the project as one that would improve the bus situation in the Square; the sale would introduce "commercial development" into one of America's great historical areas; it would add only 200 parking spaces and aggravate the "already intolerable" traffic and parking problem.

The CCA protested also that the project would decrease open space in Cambridge, "of which we have so little." Also, the letter complained that there was no provision in the bill for public hearings, open bidding, or a report by the Cambridge Planning Board before action in the City Council.