Harvard in the City
With Harvard’s Funding Under Threat, City Manager Says Cambridge Is Ready To Wait Out the Storm
For nearly a century, Cambridge has asked Harvard to increase its Payment in Lieu of Taxes — never questioning whether its most powerful tenant would be able to pay. But as the Trump administration threatens the University’s federal funding, Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 said the city recognizes that times are changing.
Amid Uncertainties for Boston PILOT, Harvard Fails To Fulfill Payment for 13th Year
Harvard failed to fully make its requested Payment in Lieu of Taxes payment for the 13th year in a row last year, according to City of Boston data released last week.
Cambridge Joins 250th Celebrations of Lexington and Concord on Patriots’ Day
The City of Cambridge celebrated Patriots’ Day with a reenactment of William Dawes’s 1775 horseback ride on its 250th anniversary, celebrating the nation’s founding while reflecting on current turmoil in Washington.
City Leaders Increase Pressure on Harvard To Reject Trump With New Petition
Harvard’s leadership is used to handling demands from its faculty and students. But with the Trump administration’s latest threats, the University is feeling pressure from its hometown, too.
‘A Nice Send-Off Concert:’ HRO Performs For Students, Teachers At K-Lo
This year, the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra has performed orchestral masterpieces, from Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 to excerpts from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.” Now, the ensemble can add the viral Russian meme song “Sigma Sigma Boy” to their repertoire.
Allston Residents, Elected Officials Ask for More Benefits from Harvard’s 10-Year Plan
As Harvard finalizes its Institutional Master Plan in Allston, residents and elected officials called on the University to fulfill its previous promises and increase contributions to the Boston neighborhood.
Advocates Raise Concerns As Boston PILOT Report Remains Unreleased
While property taxes comprise nearly three quarters of Boston’s revenue, nonprofits are exempt from paying this tax. Instead, the PILOT program asks large non-profits to voluntarily pay a portion of what they would have otherwise paid in property taxes. The 2024 report on contributions has yet to be released.
Harvard Nears Construction Milestones in Allston Amid Development Boom
Harvard is soon to bring hundreds of new housing units online in Allston as the University approaches several major construction milestones in its long-running expansion across the river.
‘A Complicated Marriage’: Cambridge Calls on Harvard to Increase Optional PILOT Payments
The city of Cambridge called on Harvard to increase their optional municipal payments at a city council meeting Monday night — after failing to reach a new agreement with the University by the end-of-year deadline.
Harvard, Cambridge Fail To Reach New PILOT Agreement by End-of-Year Deadline
Harvard and the city of Cambridge have missed their end-of-year deadline for renegotiating Harvard’s Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which replaces a portion of the property taxes that the University is otherwise exempt from paying.
The Fight to Preserve Harriet Jacobs’ Legacy in Cambridge
A historical preservation committee wants to maintain the home of a formerly enslaved woman as a memorial and museum. The owner wants to build a boutique hotel. It’s a tenuous marriage.
Harvard Files 10-Year Master Plan for Allston, Kicking Off Next Phase of Negotiations
Harvard filed its 2025-2035 Institutional Master Plan for its Allston campus on Tuesday, officially marking the next phase of negotiations with Boston officials over the University’s planned decade of development.
Harvard Arnold Arboretum Renames Bussey Street to Flora Way in Honor of Enslaved Woman
Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum formally renamed Bussey Street — named after a merchant whose wealth came from slave-produced goods — to Flora Way at an unveiling ceremony Saturday.
Boston to Overhaul Development Review Process
Boston is one step closer to making a major overhaul of its long-maligned development review process after Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 unveiled a draft modernization plan last week.
Cambridge City Manager Hopeful PILOT Negotiations With Harvard Will End Early
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 said in a Friday interview he was optimistic that Cambridge’s ongoing negotiations with Harvard for a new PILOT agreement will conclude by the end of the calendar year.
Harvard-Funded Road Crossings in Allston in Limbo After 7-Year Delay
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has yet to begin construction on two road crossings in Allston, seven years after Harvard committed $3.5 million for the project.
Harvard Chabad Appeals Zoning Board Decision to Reject Expansion
Harvard Chabad, after twice failing to secure city approval for a large-scale expansion, appealed the decision Monday afternoon — just hours before their deadline to do so.
Harvard Researchers and Amazon Collaborate to Launch Boston’s First Quantum Network
Harvard physicists took a giant step towards full-scale quantum internet networks this month, creating the longest quantum network so far with cables running between Boston and Cambridge.
An Emerging Hub: How Biotech Spread to Allston
Allston, an area which has long been known as a hub for college students, immigrant families, and mixed industrial uses is now emerging as a new hub for one of Boston’s most lucrative industries: biotech.
Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Debuts Renovations To Adapt To 6-Month Stays
The Harvard Square Homeless Shelter unveiled the renovation of their space on Friday — and with it, a dramatic shift in their model to allow shelter guests to stay for the entirety of the 6-month operational season.
Council Endorses Bill Allowing Cities to Require Payments From Large Nonprofits, Including Harvard
The Cambridge City Council voted on Tuesday to endorse a state bill that would allow the city to require large institutions like Harvard to pay 25 percent of their assessed property value through Payment in Lieu of Taxes payments.
Amid Encampment, Cambridge City Council Discusses Resolution Supporting Student Right to Protest
The Cambridge City Council discussed a resolution urging University administration and city leadership to respect students’ rights to peacefully protest.