Volpe Signs Bill Allowing State To Buy Site for Kennedy Library

Gov. John A. Volpe yesterday signed the Kennedy Library bill into law. It will allow the state to purchase most of the Bennett St. transit yards as a site for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library.

President Pusey and John Kenneth Galbraith, Paul M. Warburg Professor of Economics, stood by as the Governor affixed his signature to the legislation at a few minutes past 4 p.m.

"That's the official one," Volpe declared as he pushed the bill to the side and slid another copy from his desk. "Now here's the unofficial one so the T.V. boys can take a few pictures." Volpe then grabbed a handful of pens from the desk and began making swift, but imaginative, doodles at the bottom of the paper with one pen after another. It was about two dozen of these pens that he gave away to onlookers, including Galbraith and Pusey.

"Does President Johnson really sign his bills with all those pens?" Galbraith asked.

"He did when I was there," Volpe answered, explaining that he had given up signing with more than one pen after a few attempts.

Under the new law, the state is empowered to buy the transit yards--across from Kirkland and Eliot Houses--and give as many as 11 of the 12 acres of land to the federal government, which will run the library.

Possible Land for Harvard

It is presently thought, however, that only about six acres will be needed for the library itself, and another provision of the bill authorizes the state to sell any remaining part of the yards to the Kennedy Library Corporation.

The Corporation, in turn, could dispose of this land as it sees fit. It is thought that about two acres will be given to Harvard for the Kennedy Institute of Politics, and perhaps about four acres will be used for "supporting facilities" such as parking and restaurants.

Designed by Pei

The whole area, however, will be designed by I.M. Pei, architect for the Library complex. Pei will probably unveil a masterplan sometime this spring. Construction will probably begin in 1967, but the project is not expected to be completed until at least 1970.