Brattle Motel To Be Begun By December

Construction on Cambridge's tallest building will probably begin in Brattle Square, opposite the proposed site of the Kennedy Library, before the end of the year.

The building, a 23-story motel, will be erected on the site of the Amoco gas station across from the Bennett St. MBTA yards. Plans for the motel were announced nearly two years ago, but construction has been repeatedly delayed.

The Beacon Construction Company, owner of the property, first contemplated construction in the summer of 1964. Nothing happened during the summer, but the next fall the architect said that construction would begin before the summer of 1965. The Amoco station and another firm. Avis Rent-A-Car have remained on the site on a month-to-month basis, not knowing when they would be forced to leave.

One of the problems that has reportedly delayed construction is the difficulty in finding someone to manage the motel. It was once rumored that Howard Johnsons would take over, but the Beacon Construction company has yet to announce an operating company.

The motel may clash with construction on the Library site. I.M. Pei, architect for the Library complex, has tentatively said that he would like to keep the buildings on the site relatively low.

When it is built, the motel will sit on one of the most expensive plots of land in Cambridge. A reported price of $34 a square foot was paid for the gas station. This is far more than the University is currently offering for real estate in the Harvard Square area.