Harvard Paid Over $3M For Church Parking Lot

The University paid between $3 million to $7 million dollars for the St. Paul's parking lot bought from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston two weeks ago, Harvard's assistant director of planning said yesterday.

Marilyn L. O'Connell, assistant director for urban planning and community affairs, refused to give details on the sale of the 4800 square-foot parking lot bordering Quincy and Leverett Houses, where the University will build affiliated housing. But she said the University paid less than a developer who bought the property in 1986.

Harvard offered the archdiocese $4 million at that time, later lowering the offer to $3 million because the parish wanted low-income housing on the land. But the University lost a bidding war with Boston developer H.J. Davis, who offered $7 million.

Davis backed out of the deal in February after learning of hazardous chemicals on the site.

O'Connell said Harvard paid less for the property than the developer because it plans to build 80 residential units and a daycare center, instead of Davis' 115 luxury condominiums.

At the meeting, John M. Clancy of the Boston architectural firm Goody, Clancy and Associates described the plans for two six-story structures to be built on the lot. He said the red brick buildings will contain a day care center and playground for 60 children and a one-story underground garage with 82 spaces.

O'Connell said construction will begin this August and should be completed by spring 1991. She said that work will occur daily between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., with quieter tasks performed in the first hour each day.

The units will be occupied by Harvard affiliates, although O'Connell said she did not know whether employees, faculty or undergraduates will live there.

"It's typically a mix, but at this point, it is too soon to know what that mix will be," said O'Connell. She said the nature of the units "lends itself best to faculty and graduates."

Director of Planning Kathy A. Spiegelman said the limited capacity of the day care center will probably mean that the service will be offered reserved for Harvard affiliates. "There is a terrible shortage of child care spots at the University," she said.

The rectory will eventually be converted into low- and moderate-income housing, according to O'Connell. Although no exact plans have been made for the building yet, she said it is only because it needs to be renovated, "We hope it will be completed before or as soon as the other two buildings."

Parishioners present last night expressed concern over the plans but accepted them. A committee of parishioners has formulated a report on theopinion of churchmembers towards the development.

"I think that the Harvard proposal isreasonable," said St. Paul's pastor, Father JohnP. Boles.

Said Sheridan L. Haines, who lives near thelot, "It was inevitable, and all we can do isaccept it."

O'Connell said that the diocese and theUniversity must agree on a developer beforebuilding can begin. Also, she said, the Universitymust remove low levels of contaminating oil