College Accelerates House Renovations

The College has decided to significantly accelerate the renovation schedule for the aging Houses in an effort to halt deterioration more quickly and less expensively.

Under the new plan, detailed by college officials yesterday, all upperclass Houses will undergo extensive renovations within the next four years, instead of eight to 10 years as planned a year ago.

Five buildings in the House system will have major exterior and interior work done next summer, in contrast to the initial stage this summer when just Lowell House and halt of Winthrop House were refurbished.

The estimated $16 million project in Adams, Claverly, the Gore Half of Winthrop, old Leverett and old Quincy next summer will entail about two-and-a-half times the repairs done this summer. Director of Facilities Thomas Quinn said yesterday.

The stepped-up renovation program--which is now scheduled to end in 1985, instead of 1988 or later--is the result of both physical and financial concerns, College officials said.

While the decision in part aims "to arrest the decay more quickly." Dean of the College John B Fox '59 said the new plan also seeks to repair the dormitories "in the way that makes the most sense financially."

The 548.50 million program is being funded with about $13 million from the Harvard Campaign fund drive and through borrowing, which is repaid through incremental raises in student room rents. With interest rates declining and construction costs generally rising from year-to-year. College officials said it is more sensible to complete the repairs as soon as possible.

"The thinking is that the more you put it off, the more expensive it's going to be," said Lowell House Master William H. Bossert '57.

Concern for student dissatisfaction with living conditions during the period when only some Houses are repaired also prompted officials to narrow the time frame, Quinn said.

Now entering freshmen "at least in one of their three years [in the Houses] can live in a renovated House," Bossert said.

But Bossert criticized the decision to accelerate the renovation schedule because of the quality of renovations in Lowell and Winthrop, which were delayed until late spring and unexpectedly continued after the beginning of the term this fall.

Continuing work and problems connected with the construction--including a faulty fire alarm system and unsatisfactory interior work--have resulted because of poor planning and time constraints he said.

"I think it's mistake, "Bossert added The quality of work will be seriously management is drawn thin."

Other officials, however said that the work in the first two Houses--which ranged from repairs of bricks to the installation of new electrical outlets--served as an experiment, and they have learned from the problems encountered

"Everybody agrees it was extremely wise to start with an experiment and we learned lots. But the learning stops, said Jame. A Davis, the master of Winthrop House, which had its Standish half renovated during the summer months.

"It seems to me, the sooner, the better," he added. "It's like trimming a puppy's tale a half an inch at a time If you're going to do i