Fogg and Sackler To Be Renovated, Linked by Tunnel

Harvard is getting ready to build again.

Harvard University Arts Museums Director James Cuno announced plans to renovate the Fogg and Sackler Museums at a community meeting on Saturday.

Last night, Cuno said he also hopes to build a new museum on a University-owned site on 889 Memorial Drive next to the Peabody Museum, which currently houses Mahoney's Garden Center.

The renovation project, which is not expected to begin for another four years, has the full support of the University, but the new museum is only one of several competing proposals for the Memorial Drive property.

Cuno said the renovations would include lighting and climate control improvements in the Fogg and the Sackler and a tunnel system between the two buildings.

Cuno said that building a tunnel between the museums will allow visitors and artwork to pass safely between the buildings without crossing through Broadway Street traffic.

The renovation plans also include exterior improvements to the museums to "present a better face to Cambridge" and "to correct the tendency of Harvard to present its backdoor to the community," he said.

The Fogg Museum currently has a loading dock on Broadway St., and both the Sackler and Fogg Museums have "unfriendly facades," according to Mary Power, Harvard's director of community relations.

After renovations, the Fogg will feature a new entrance on Broadway St. and a "piazza" with a cafe.

The University is also considering plans to build an entirely new exhibition space on the Harvard-owned site on Memorial Drive next to the Peabody Museum.

But Cuno stressed that this plan, which has not been discussed with the community, is not yet off the ground.

"It's true we're making the argument to everyone, but it's far in the future," he said. "We are just one entity among many who want to express an interest in the future development of the river site."

"The University will assess the merits of providing additional exhibition space there versus other competing University needs," Power said.

University officials say they hope to begin the Fogg and Sackler renovations at the same time they begin work on the new Knafel Center.

But for the moment, the University is moving ahead slowly, in "a process that will involve many discussions in the community over a period of time," Power said.

Community complaints have prevented construction on the museums before, and the University seems determined not to repeat past mistakes.

The initial plan for the Sackler Museum had included a bridge over Broadway between the Sackler and the Fogg. But building the bridge involved using community airspace, and the community denied the University the necessary permission.

A recent resurrection of the bridge proposal was turned down as well.

"It became clear that the idea of a bridge--even a more modest bridge was not very acceptable," said John Pitkin, president of the Mid-Cambridge Community Association.

Pitkin said that the new tunnel proposal will also require community approval.

"In order to connect the buildings underground, they're going to need public approval, so the public is going to be heard sooner or later," he said. "Even if Harvard wanted to be a bad neighbor, they probably wouldn't have any choice."

Pitkin expressed optimism that the University "understands the problems and hired an architect that understands the problems" but said it was too early to tell whether the community would approve of the plan.

"This is all new," he said. "There is quite a diversity of opinion, and there has been no discussion of the plan outside of the meeting on Saturday."

University officials said that they, too, have a long way to go before they are ready to begin the renovations.

The University needs to raise funds for the project in addition to earning community approval.