HSA Moves Into New Home

Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) opened the doors of its new home at 67 Mt. Auburn St. yesterday which is a far cry from its old confines in Thayer's basement or its temporary residence on Church Street.

After an investment of approximately $3.5 million, HSA has converted the building which formerly housed Elsie's Sandwich Shop and the Manter Hall School into four floors of office space.

"This is a much better location than being out on Church Street," said Dave L. Boggs '98, outgoing manager of HSA Linen.

Boggs said HSA hopes that students will find the new location near the river houses more convenient.

Amit Tiwari '98, the new president of HSA, said the organization's growth, a desire for greater visibility and the rising Harvard Square rents were factors in HSA's decision to purchase its own space.

HSA staff members said they are particularly enthusiastic about having storefront space, something they lacked at Church St.

The agency is renting out its own street level units at 67 Mt. Auburn and, in turn, is leasing a smaller space on Holyoke St.

Currently, the space houses the campus store and Let's Go travel.

The decision to separate the facilities made sense because the agency can make "more in rent from its tenants than it is paying to rent on Holyoke St.," Tiwari said.

The new facility is being financed in part by an ongoing HSA capital campaign, which began last spring, he said.

Through this campaign, HSA has already raised $1.4 million, primarily in the form of alumni contributions.

Locating real estate to buy in Harvard Square was a struggle, said Matt J. Heid '96-'97, outgoing HSA president.

"We were pursuing the building for three years," Heid said.

Richard M. Olken '67, general manager of HSA, was responsible for finding another building for HSA.

"We had to move out of Thayer in a hurry due to Yard renovation, so Harvard found us some temporary space [on Church St.]," he said.

When Olken found that the 67 Mt. Auburn St. property met his search criteria, he still had to contend with the fact that it was not for sale at the time.

Bob Hall, the former owner of the building, did not want it to fall into the hands of Harvard Real Estate and he was reluctant to put it on the market, Heid said.

HSA was able to convince Hall that, under HSA ownership, the building would continue to be used for educational purposes, a condition upon which Hall had insisted.

Olken said he believes that Hall changed his mind when he realized the commitment of HSA leaders.

"I think the turning point for Mr. Hall was meeting with the student president," Olken said.

The new president says he has big plans for HSA in its new location.

"One of my biggest focuses for the year is reviving the entrepreneurial spirit on campus," Tiwari said.

HSA's new building will be dedicated tomorrow afternoon to Robert W. McCoy Jr. '62 and Dustin M. Burke '52, two major contributors to the organization

"We were pursuing the building for three years," Heid said.

Richard M. Olken '67, general manager of HSA, was responsible for finding another building for HSA.

"We had to move out of Thayer in a hurry due to Yard renovation, so Harvard found us some temporary space [on Church St.]," he said.

When Olken found that the 67 Mt. Auburn St. property met his search criteria, he still had to contend with the fact that it was not for sale at the time.

Bob Hall, the former owner of the building, did not want it to fall into the hands of Harvard Real Estate and he was reluctant to put it on the market, Heid said.

HSA was able to convince Hall that, under HSA ownership, the building would continue to be used for educational purposes, a condition upon which Hall had insisted.

Olken said he believes that Hall changed his mind when he realized the commitment of HSA leaders.

"I think the turning point for Mr. Hall was meeting with the student president," Olken said.

The new president says he has big plans for HSA in its new location.

"One of my biggest focuses for the year is reviving the entrepreneurial spirit on campus," Tiwari said.

HSA's new building will be dedicated tomorrow afternoon to Robert W. McCoy Jr. '62 and Dustin M. Burke '52, two major contributors to the organization