House-Saving

The city's historical commission was unimpressed.

Despite a fiery presentation from Fogg Museum director Seymour Slive, the commission members could not understand why the University needed to demolish a century-old house to make room for the museum's expansion. So they refused to grant a demolition permit.

And then it was the University's turn to be unimpressed. Under the state law, the historical commission can only halt demolition six months, which won't even interfere with Harvard's construction schedule.

Though they promised to "return to the drafting board" and "seriously consider" the board's suggestions about how the Fogg could be reshaped to allow the building to stand, it seems likely Harvard officials will wait six months and then proceed to tear the building down.

"We will try to bring public pressure to bear on the University--publicity is our only tool," Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Historical Commission said before the vote. He called Harvard's pleas "ironic--the Fogg is supposed to be a repository of cultural artifacts, yet here they want to destroy a cultural artifact."

Publicity will focus on the architectural and historical uniqueness of the home at 1746 Cambridge St., which historical commission researchers variously described as "inventive," "robust" and "simply marvelous."

"It is far from unique," Slive countered, calling the frame house "the last gasp of the mansard style."