Housing Project Opened Near Square

Ceremonies held yesterday marked the opening of the first of several low-income housing units planned by the Cambridge Corporation in the Harvard Square area.

Until last December, Polaroid had planned to convert the property at 16-18 Pine Street into parking space. Instead, the area is now the site for a locally run low-income housing project.

The Pine Street project began last fall when COBI (the Conference of Organizations, Blocks, and Individuals)--a group formed by the people in Cambridge's area number 4--discovered Polaroid's plans for turning the property into a parking lot. The residents wanted to use the area for a play lot, since recreation facilities are scarce in that area.

The Cambridge Corporation, a non-profit organization, stepped in as intermediary between the neighborhood and Polaroid. The company struck a compromise and sold the lot at less than cost to the Corporation, who made the proviso that COBI buy the lot within four years.

David Skinner, vice president of the Polaroid Corporation, said yesterday, "We do anything we can to save neighborhood property. Then we work with the community in deciding what to do with it." In this instance, the community decided to renovate the existing building to provide low-rent housing facilities for two Cambridge families. Mr. Skinner said a lot on Harvard St. is also being turned over to the Cambridge community for redevelopment.

"The most important element of this project," commented Oliver Brooks, president of Cambridge Corporation, "is that this is something that has come about through the cooperation of community groups." The Cambridge Corporation is making arrangements with the Cambridge Housing Authority to subsidize the rent for the unit. The families will be asked to pay only what they can.