City Considers New Laboratory

Science will continue to have a strong presence on both sides of the river even if new labs and office space are built in Allston, University officials told the Cambridge Planning Board last night.

Harvard’s public presentation of a proposed new interdisciplinary science facility in Cambridge met with a largely favorable reaction from members of the board.

If the project garners the necessary city approval, construction will begin in early 2004 on the Laboratory for Interface Science and Engineering (LISE), a 118,000-square foot building that would be located in the courtyard behind the Science Center.

Citing time considerations, members of the planning board did not reach a decision last night on the special permit that the building requires. The board will discuss the details of the proposal on Oct. 21.

Thomas Anninger, chair of the planning board, said last night he was concerned about the long-term future of the building if Harvard goes ahead with plans to create a science campus in Allston—a scenario that University officials discussed over the summer.

“It’s a strong likelihood that Allston will become Harvard’s science center of this new century,” Anninger said. “It makes this building look like a temporary building.”

David A. Zewinski ’76, associate dean for physical resources and planning of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said it was “fairly certain” that science facilities would be built in Allston, but the existing buildings in Cambridge would not be transported across the river.

According to Professor of Physics Charles M. Marcus—who has been the Faculty’s top public advocate for the LISE project—future plans for science remain under discussion, but all scenarios include some facilities remaining in Cambridge.

“Science is not leaving Cambridge,” Marcus said. “There will be certain kinds of science that will find its place in Allston and others in Cambridge.”

He said that his discussions with top administrators, including University President Lawrence H. Summers and Provost Steven E. Hyman, focused on science as an integral part of the entire University rather than confined to a certain part of the campus.

“The days of science in Cambridge are not numbered, but rather this represents an expansion of science at Harvard,” Marcus said.

Senior Director of Community Relations Mary H. Power said that the University has not yet made a decision about how the land in Allston will be used.

Planning board member Hugh Russell ’64 noted that several buildings on the Harvard campus, including the Science Center, have been around for decades and are still in use, even though their interiors may have been renovated.

“As rich as Harvard is, they’re not going to build 30 buildings in 10 years in Allston,” Russell said. “I think [LISE] is actually a very forward-thinking building.”

Other board members responded positively to the design of the building, which includes five stories raised above the ground to create a pedestrian walkway into the existing courtyard. Two-thirds of the facility will be located underground beneath the courtyard, including specialized laboratory space.

“I think it’s a good example of, when you have the resources, what good planning you can do,” board member William Tibbs said.

University officials gave an informational presentation on LISE to the planning board over the summer. There have been several opportunities for public input, including two community meetings earlier in the fall and two presentations to the Agassiz Neighborhood Council.

Last night’s meeting included time for public comment, but no members of the community signed up to speak.

The audience consisted mostly of Harvard officials and the architects who are designing the project.

In their presentation to the planning board, the architects brought posters, a three-dimensional model and a sample of the glass that will be used on the side of the building.

Architect Rafael Moneo said the pedestrian walkway would create a “gate-like building” that would invite people into the courtyard.

Marcus spoke about the scientific benefits of the building, which he said would allow Harvard to pursue research that crosses traditional boundaries between scientific disciplines.

“In this cornerstone of the campus there should be a place where all these disciplines can come together and work,” Marcus said.

The LISE project will require the approval of the Board of Zoning Appeals, which may come up in November or December, officials said last night.

Power said she thought the response of the planning board was positive.

“I think they gave us reason to be optimistic” about receiving the permit at the next meeting, she said.

—Staff writer Jessica R. Rubin-Wills can be reached at rubinwil@fas.harvard.edu.