SOUTHWEST SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AT HARVARD SQUARE by David Kuang-yu Fang B. Arch., Chun-yuan College, Taiwan, China 1972. (Hon.) M. Arch., University of California, Berkeley, 1975. Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture in Advanced Studies at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY June, 1977 Signature of Authc Department of ArchLe6 ure, 12 Wy, 1977 Certified by Eduardo F. Catalano, Professor of Architecture, Thesis Supervisor Accepted by Eduardo F. Catalano, Chairman, Departmental Committee for Graduate Students JUN 9 1977 44AOftRISS I SOUTHWEST SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AT HARVARD SQUARE DAVID KUANG -YU FANG 2 ABSTRACT SOUTHWEST SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AT HARVARD SQUARE David Kuang-yu Fang Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 12, 1977, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in Advanced Studies. The Southwest Sector development area has been for the past ten years what might be best described as an urban bat- tleground. The Holiday Inn, the JFK Memorial Library and Museum were proposed to be built there once. Since then the City of Cambridge has not been able to put together a comprehensive development plan for the site. In this study, a plan is proposed for the future development of the 17 acre The work of this site at Harvard Square. study is divided into four main sections: Research The main emphasis of this research is an investigation of the urban forms, urban context of Harvard Square, and the potential of the Southwest Sector in terms of social, economic, and political significance. It is an attempt to develop a feasible program for the Southwest Sector development at Harvard Square. Site Analysis This is to emphasize the physical characteristics of the site and the surrounding environment by using drawings to indicate important aspects of the orientation, views, exposures, circulation, and urban fabrics in relation to a pedestrian scale. Program The program is meant to be a synthesis of the research, reflecting the viability of each use in terms of past and present trends and the forecast opportunities of the Southwest Sector development. Also, the program suggests basic square footage allocations for each use. Physical Design One physical design has been developed to exemplify the findings of the research and the guidelines of the program. It includes the proposed land use, ground floor circulation, below-grade parking, and basic residential design for the Southwest Sector development at Harvard Square. Thesis Supervisor: - I A Eduardo F. Catalano Professor of Architecture 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people for their assistance in helping me to accumulate the information necessary for the completion of this study: Robert A. Bowyer, Cambridge Community Development Department. John Hawes, Harvard University Planning Office. Libby Ellen Rigby, Harvard University Planning Office Library. Richard Easler, Frank Keville and Steve Muduck, Transportation Department, Charlestown. John Ohara, Civil and Design, Engineering Department, Charlestown. Members at Monacelli Associates, Gladstone Associates. Professors and friends at Harvard G.S.D. Urban Design Studio Group, Spring of 1977. Thanks to the Graham Fund for partial financing of the research model and necessary photos making. I also am greatly indebted to my friends Hui-tzu Wang, Mei Wang, Lin-ching Hsia and Professor Tunney Lee for their encouragement and revision of my attitude towards the research. The appearance of this thesis is with the help of editing and reading by my friends Regan H. Downing, Becky C. Turner and I-fong Wong. I would especially like to thank Dr. Diane J. Schweitzer for taking good care of my health. And of course, I thank Professor Eduardo F. Catalano for his constructive criticism and guidance. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. II. III. IV. Background Urban Context Elements of Physical Form Movement and Activity GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHWEST SECTOR I. II. III. IV. V. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. 21 41 Retail Market Indicators Office Market Indicators Residential Market Indicators Quality Hotel Market Indicators Summary of Market Findings DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND PHASING IMPLEMENTATION CONTROL 84 I. Special Assessment Districts II. Public Parking Facilities Background Development Objects Pedestrian Circulation Parking Urban Design Criteria ECONOMIC AND MARKET ANALYSIS I. II. III. IV. V. 5 58 Land Use Policies Urban Form Open Space and Pedestrian Movement Parking Service and Goods Movement Public Transportation CONCLUSION 89 APPENDIX 92 5 structure does not produce the character INTRODUCTION of the Square, it does provide the setI. Background ting in which street-life, interactions What is the role of the physical en- of people, and an infinite variety of vironment in creating the character of activities can flourish. Idenfification Harvard Square? and understanding of those aspects of What are the physical consequences of the urban structure which are essential trying to deal with high levels of traf- in producing this setting is imperitive fic congestion, inadequate parking and if proper criteria for growth and change pedestrian inconveniences? are to be established. Given the magnitude and number of As Harvard Square has grown from a these issues and the nature of the exist- neighborhood center to a city center, ing structure, can future growth and the nature of its stree-life has been change be guided to insure that an unique altered. The intense street-life of district is enhanced rather than de- today is increasingly attractive because stroyed? it provides for human interactions and Through urban design investigations physical contacts on a pedestrian scale. and surveys, Harvard Square has an iden- However, a paradox now exists: as the tifiable urban structure. Although this Square becomes more attractive to those 6 beyond its immediate environs and as at- In order to guide the ongoing deve- tempts are made to accomodate new and lopment, alternatives to these trends larger scale developments, the essential must be identified; investigations must structure of the Square's physical set- be undertaken to determine ways of re- ting may well be destroyed and with it gulating these pressures, and new forms the very street-life and character which must be developed to be compatible with was its attraction. For example, the the existing structure, yet fulfill the trend toward highrise buildings and mul- criteria imposed by contemporary forces. ti-level parking facilities may well be As the basis for these investigations, of such a magnitude and form that the several issues have been identified on pedestrian environment will be over- the following pages along with proposed whelmed. And, as corporate groups re- place individual proprietors, the resulting commonplace facilities and merchandisers will d lute the existing distinctiveness of the area. These and similar strategies for their resolution. II. Urban Context The City of Cambridge has its origins in Harvard Square where the community of th Newtowne was founded in the 17-- century. changes could drastically alter the As the town expanded, certain land uses character of the Square over the next few tended to concentrate in identifiable years. sectors - goods and services in the cen- 7 Today, this ter, academics (Harvard University, etc.) the Harvard Square area. in the northeast, and residential in the central core is largely commercial, but west. The southern sector was left lar- in continuity with its past, it has main- gely undeveloped until a scarcity of land tained the same focal point and is sur- and an increase in land values in the rounded by the same but now fully deve- century made its use more attrac- 20tive. Harvard University built residen- loped residential and academic sectors. Although their uses have greately changed, cies to the east of Boylston Street, the the neighboring Commons and the Charles MBTA built its storage yards to the west. River District are now, more than ever, The area in which the MBTA station and Kiosk now stand, at the intersection of Boylston Street and Massachusetts Avenue, became the focal point for the developing City. All major roads radi- the important natural resources of the area. (Illustrations pp. 8-10.) Harvard Square now faces severe pressures for redevelopment, not only in the southwest sector but in the core as well. ated out from this intersection, forcing It is crucial to establish guidelines most traffic to and from Cambridge to and controls over future development to pass through it. The activity generated insure the compatibility of the old and It is also necessary to formu- by this continuous traffic was vital to the new. the development of the central core of late a public sector design concept from 8 HARVARD SQUARE & THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE 0 j---e 1mIle~ 9 I/ HARVARD 10 11 which a specific improvements program northwest sector is not as clear because may be derived. the change in building form is less ab- A. Sectors rupt and pedestrian passages to the sector are multiple. The existing sectors should be reinforced and the Southwest Sector should be developed in such a way as to contain Harvard Square is composed of four rather than extend the core. This will sectors surrounding a commercial core. provide an envelope in which the core Three of the four sectors, which have can change over time without losing its a stable land use, are homogeneous and identity as a cohesive retail district. distinctive in form, and are consequently The abrupt transition between the core strong in identity. The fourth sector, and the eastern sectors should be mainThe change of building form be- to the southwest, is presently underde- tained. veloped. The edges of the northeast and tween the core, the northwest and the southeast sectors are clear, and accesses southwest sectors may be less abrupt; to these sectors are limited to specific however, commercial land use should not pedestrian and vehicular entries. The distinction between the core and the extend beyond Story Street above Mt. Auburn Street and only limited expansion 12 should be allowed south toward the River. coverage should be comprehended with B. Retail Area increasing density as a unified and identifiable whole. C. Focus The present size and shape of the retail core is critical to its character. A person can walk through and experience The commercial core has a single focus the entire area in a short period of at the location of the Kiosk and MBTA time; he can be exposed to all of its entrance. activities, and to the surrounding land present vehicular and pedestrian move- use and building forms as well. ment patterns, commercial frontage and As a This focus is reinforced -by result, the area can be easily under- building forms. stood. a means of orientation and as a place in This ease of comprehension rein- forces the sense that the core has a which activity can be concentrated. With the development of the Southwest unique identity. Commercial development in the southwest sector should be contiguous with the existing retail core. A focus is essential as Ground Sector, there could evolve a new focus which would compete with the present focus. This duality could dilute the in- 13 tensity of activity and reduce the clarity of orientation. There is a need, core by pedestrian ways, landscape treatments and building developments so that therefore, to change the form of the their uses may become extensions of the existing focus from a point around which core activity rather than isolated all activity evolves, to a line which is events. reinforced by multiple activities and III. Elements of Physical Form which connects the Southwest Sector to The physcial form of Harvard Square is the whole. the product of incremental growth and D. Charles River and the Common unplanned development. The resulting juxtaposition of small-scale buildings of different historical periods and styles of architecture produces a variTo the north and south of the core are two important natural resources the Cambridge Common and the Charles River. At present, these resources are gated building fabric. Today, redevelopment is more likely to occur on a larger scale than in the past. Because of economic factors, re- not being connected or related to the development may produce buildings of a core in any significant way. bulk and height which are potentially These areas should be linked to the incompatible with the existing structures. 14 To insure that the physical characteristics of Harvard Square are enhanced, coverage and open space configurations. B. Walls and Objects a number of efforts are required. A. Building Density Within the commercial core, contiguous buildings create extended walls which In the core, all buildings are contiguous. They cover nearly the entire range in height from two to six stories and in length up to 1,000 feet. The lot and leave only the streets as open walls provide the visual continuity with- spaces. in the core, the spires and cupolas The sectors, on the other hand, are composed of separate buildings. Be- serve as reference points from the core. cause the form of the buildings differs These reference points help to visually from sector to sector, the resultant define the limits of the core area. open spaces are varied and distinctive Economic pressures inherent in new in shape from open spaces in the core. development will tend to favor high-rise Redevelopment of the core and altera- construction which will break the con- tions to the surrounding sectors should tinuity of the wall-and-object relation- maintain the existing building ground ship. Existing wall configurations 15 EXISTING WALL CONFIGURATI 16 should be extended and more fully deve- both the open spaces and channels should loped at the pedestrian scale, and a be maintained and extended into the zone of maximum height of 60 - 80 feet should be maintained. Economics of de- ,Southwest Sector. Vehicular movement should be reordered so that the spaces velopment can be achieved and the full may be converted to predominantly pedes- floor-area ratio can be met while ad- trian use. hering to these criteria. D. Tunnels and Niches occasionally in Harvard Square, walls, C. Squares and Channels Within the core, the extended walls awnings, streetscape and sidewalk condi- create two distinct spatial conditions. tions work together to produce physical Where the walls are parallel, the street enclosures of the pedestrian walks which space is defined as a channel. can be characterized as tunnels. These Where channels, in turn, lead to triangular this occurs, pedestrian activity is en- open spaces which are formed by a series hanced. of curved walls. The pattern of vehicu- A more literal form of pedes- trian tunnels is the through-block pas- lar movement through these triangular sageways at Holyoke Center and 44 Brattle spaces, commonly referred to as Squares, Street. leaves islands of unusable land. windows, parks and street cafes occur The dimensional characteristics of Niches such as doorways, shop along the tunnels at random. Streetscape 17 These diffe- elements such as lights, signs, benches, Harvard Square movement. parking meters and trash cans, although rent forms of activity and movement work in somewhat chaotic order, are found together to create the dynamic quality continuously along the edge of the tun- of the core area, but at the same time nel. Canopies such as trees, awnings, overhead signs and marquees occur intermittently and reduce the scale of the sidewalk enclosures. Unfortunately, at produce conflicts and congestions. Intensive vehicular movements passing through and circling within the core is the principle cause of conflict. Re- present the elements necessary to form structuring vehicular movements could the tunnel and encourage pedestrian ac- increase pedestrian safety and reduce tivity are not orderly or properly de- congestions, but at the same time could signed to capitalize on the potential diminish the intensity and dynamic qua- assets of this concept. lity. IV. Movement and Activity to be separated in this restructuring, it Bright storefronts, flashing lights, If vehicles and pedestrians are is very important that the resulting sidewalks crowded with people, peddlars, vehicle-free areas be redesigned to en- street musicians, moving cars, singly courage an increase in activities and to and doubly-parked cars and delivery foster pedestrian interaction so that trucks are all familiar components of the dynamic aspect of the Square is 18 strengthened rather than diminished. The design should go beyond the inser- A. Pedestrians Pedestrian movement in Harvard Square tion of a few trees and benches, and in- parallels the principal and secondary vestigate the potential which might re- roadways and occurs on through block sult from the reconfiguration of build- passages. ing forms, as well as the reorganization ticular pedestrian way is a function of of development parcels. its proximity to the focus of the core, If the environment in and around Har- The nature of use along a par- the type of commercial frontage and the vard Square is to be maintained and pro- number of access points, the width of tected, traditional attitudes toward walkways, and the density of develop- parking and transportation must be ments above the commercial level. changed. Harvard Square can no longer With the development of the Southwest accomodate all those who wish to drive Sector, a primary pedestrian network to the Square and park in or around it. should be created to connect that sector A comprehensive system of vehicular move- with the focus of the core. ment, parking and services must be de- existing pedestrian ways should be con- veloped in concert with an improved and nected to form a closed circuit. expanded public transportation system. block movement should be developed as a New and Through 19 more important part of the total pedes- ed in the sectors or adjacent to them, trian network. and local traffic destined for Harvard B. Vehicular Traffic Square should diverted to these accomo- At present, traffic moving through the Square to points beyond and traffic with Harvard Square destinations flow dations. C. Parking Most public parking in Harvard Square together in patterns which circle vir- is on-street curb parking, tually all blocks within the core. is inefficient, disruptive, and environ- This This system pattern creates congestion, confusion, mentally harmful. and conflicts in the heart of the core. parking in this way should be more appro- On-street parking increases traffic in- priately used. terruption and inadequate parking acco- The land taken up for Short-term parking should be accomo- modations cause repeated movements with- dated by a system of multiple-use garages in the core. which are located within walking distance The two vehicular movement patterns should be separated. Through movement should be channeled clearly and directly, with minimum turning options. Short- term parking facilities should be locat- of the core. Vehicular access to the garages should be from peripheral roadways and not from roads passing through the Square. Long-term parking should be located outside the core and should be 20 connected to it by pedestrian ways. D. Services In many places, the delivery of goods to the commercial core contributes to vehicular congestion and conflicts with pedestrian activities. There is inadequate space for parking and unloading, and a lack of order as to where and when the deliveries are made. In the Southwest Sector, a system of service roads and adequate loading docks should be developed. Where off-street facilities cannot be provided in the core, time and frequencies of deliveries should be regulated by a management system. 21 GUIDELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHWEST SECTOR The purpose of this section is to outline a set of criteria relevant to the future development of a large tract of land in Harvard Square identified as the Southwest Sector. All these criteria have been derived from numerous studies, evaluations of proposals, and community responses in consultation with the Harvard Square Development Task Force, Har- vard University, The Community Development Department of the City of Cambridge, and the Monacelli Associates. I. Background A. Boundaries The Southwest Sector of Harvard Square is the area of land bounded by Mt. Auburn Street to the north, Boylston Street to 22 Fronting along Mt. Auburn the east, Memorial Drive to the south, the FMI site. and a western border running north-south Street are the Craigie Apartments owned roughly in the alignment of Gerry Street. by Harvard University, the Cronin Res- In this area, taurant, and the Harvard Motor Hotel. on the site of the existing MBTA yards, the JFK Memorial Library was C. Site Conditions once to be built. 1. Topography The site is relatively flat, sloping B. Parcel Ownership The total site area is approximately 17 acres. Three quarters of the area is from a height of + 27.5 feet on Mt. Auburn Street to a low of + 19.6 feet on presently owned by the Massachusetts Bay Memorial Drive. transportation Authority (MBTA), and is slab at the train yard is at an elevation subject to the control of the General of + 12.0 feet and requires sump pumps, Services Administration. Parcels com- An existing concrete the water table being generally at an prising the western edge of the site were elevation of + 13.0 feet. assembled by four owners: Harvard Trust, 2. Soil Conditions Dupree Associates, Inc., Trinity Realty The site is underlain by a series of Trust and Kanavos Enterprises (FMI). subsoils typical of the Boston Basin and Now Trinity Realty Trust has development of Cambridge along the Charles River. control of the Harvard Trust site and These include fill over marsh deposits 23 underlain by sandy beach materials,which System. in turn overlay a substantial thickness installed by the City of Cambridge under of Boston Blue Clay. Eliot Street and can serve as the major The clay is under- A new 24" water main has been lain by a relatively thin layer of gla- feeder for any future developments. cial fill overlying shale or slate bed- 4. Zoning rock. In general, the layer of marsh deposits starts at Bennett Street and increases in thickness towards Memorial Drive. The site falls under three zoning districts as indicated on the next page: 0 The bedrock floor slopes steeply Office District - west of University Road. Permits business and profes- across the site from an approximate sional offices and multi-family elevation of 60 feet beneath the inter- dwellings. section of Boylston and Eliot Streets BB FAR is 3.0. Business B District - north of Ben- to an elevation of 120 feet at Memorial nett Street between Eliot Street and Drive and University Road. University Road. (Resources: HUGH STUBBINS AND ASSOCIATES, INC., and MBTA.) 3. Utilities A 24" relief connection is planned as part of the MDC Charles River Relief ness. For general busi- FAR is 4.0. C-3 Residence C-3 District - area bounded by Bennett, Eliot and Boylston Streets, Memorial Drive and University Road. Designated for multi- 24 family dwellings. FAR is 3.0. II. Development Objectives A proposal for a "Harvard Square Over- According to the Harvard Square Com- lay District" that would unify the zon- prehensive Policy Plan, the development ing of the entire area was not enacted pattern of the Southwest Sector should by the City Council. be a mixed-use development which seeks Present height limitations, floor to do the following things: establish a area ratios, and allowable densities ex- scale and character of development which ceed those recommended by the Harvard provide an identity for the Southwest Square Comprehensive Policy Plan. Sector while remaining consistent with 5. Existing Buildings the general character of the Harvard Ttere is no building on the site of Square area, serve as the principal re- historic value or exceptional aesthetic source for the growth of the commercial merit requiring mandatory preservation. core, and respect its neighbors - the However, for reasons of economics the Charles River, the Harvard Houses Area, Craigie Apartments and the Harvard Motor and the residential pattern of "Neigh- Hotel have been kept and renovated in borhood Ten". this study. All other buildings and structures would be removed. tions pp. 25-30.) (Illustra- A. Relation to Traffic and Service Systems: Circulation Objectives The Southwest Sector of Harvard Square 25 V"WOWIO- 4 wFp V U 27 co~ SOUTHWEST SECTOR 0 28 Lzz Sn (FZLIITh _ z 0 ----- PARCEL LIMITS """"""""""' DEVELOPMENT LIMITS SITE PARCELS 29 ............... HM ...... LOOSE SAND AND GRAVEL MT. AUBURN BENNET MEMORIAL DRIVE Ii 2n GROUND WATER TABLE EL. 13 FILL -20 30 40 SOIL CONDITION AT SECTION A-A 0 100 200 30 EBB -1 3c yuenr EXISTING ZONING 31 is surrounded by a mix of uses: small- B. Surrounding Roadways and Access Locations scale residential to the west, retail Three principal roads surround the and commercial to the north, institutions Southwest area: Mt. Auburn to the north, to the east, and the river front to the Boyleston Street to the west, and Memo- south. rial Drive to the south. The present Vehicular assesses, roadway alignvehicular movement pattern is shown on ments, and capacities are of major conthe next page. cern in the Southwest area. The princiThe Harvard Square traffic problems, pal objective is to establish a separate such as through traffic,students, MBTA and independent roadway and service syssubway patrons, etc., are less signifi- cant than fundamental structural tem within the Southwest area that will problems. not conflict with the peripheral traffic Both the historic street development flow, the pedestrian movement within the pattern and the current street network site, or the pedestrian linkages to adjacent areas. make the Harvard Square area the cross- Interfaces should be roads of Cambridge, as most major streets limited to those performing a needed in the City lead to or through Harvard function, i.e., taxi access to pedestrian Square. areas, auto drop-offs, etc. The pattern of thirteen radiating 32 streets may permit the motorist to get - Deviations of the road alignment from to Harvard Square with ease; however, it the existing rights-of-way will re- is very difficult to get through Harvard quire the taking of private properties Square. at substantial costs and legal nego- Nearly 42 percent of all auto- mobile trips made to Harvard Square are made by persons going to work and an tiations. - that the above-grade future develop- additional 11 percent of the trips are made to attend school. Below-grade alignment almost requires ment be known so that adequate struc- About 55 percent of the trips to Harvard Square are ones tural designs can be made to accomo- which require either all-day or long- date the loads. term parking. Significantly less than - A below-grade roadway would require 10 percent of the trips within Cambridge an agreed upon, overall plan for park- are made by public transportation. (Re- ing below-grade, and development above sources: Transportation Planning Office, grade, so that access could be pro- Traffic Department, Cambridge,and Mona- vided for both entries and exits. celli Associates.) (Illustration p. 33.) The following are some strong consi- - A roadway at grade and the required loading and service areas would con- derations which will influence the sume a significant amount of land more choices of road alignment: appropriately used for pedestrian cir- 33 HARVARD SQUARE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES 34 culation. In addition, 'it will be Detailed designs of the internal pe- difficult to avoid vehicle-pedestrian destrian system will result from the ul- service conflicts. timate uses and from the physical design III. Pedestrian Circulation The Harvard Square Comprehensive Po- criteria. If vehicle-free areas are to be developed, it is important to provide licy Plan outlines three major objectives the proper type and amount of uses along for pedestrian circulation in the South- them so that an appropriate level of dy- west Sector: namic activity will take place. - - - Each Clear pedestrian linkages should be pedestrian area may well have a pro- made to the surrounding areas, and a grammed goal: to be a lively way for principal pedestrian access should be shopping, to be a gathering place for developed to Brattle Square through events, or to be restful, with land- the Eliot Street area. scaped areas and a more residential at- Pedestrian and vehicle circulation mosphere. should be separated if possible. goal is to develop an inter-connected The area should focus on an open space system of pedestrian paths. adaptable to a variety of outdoor IV. Parking activities. In any case, the paramount The Southwest Sector is the only location where parking can be built without 35 table. demolishing an existing active use. At present there are about 800 parking spaces in the Southwest area. The The feasibility analysis conducted by The Community Development Department and program suggested by the Task Force ana- their consultants, Cambridge Seven Asso- lysis allows for ultimately 700-900 pub- ciates, indicates that it may be feasible lic spaces to be built to replace pri- from both physical and financial stand- vate spaces vulnerable to new develop- points to put parking below grade. ment and additional parking to meet the HUGH STUBBINS AND ASSOCIATES' study also needs new development generates. indicates that below-grade parking ap- The City would like to achieve a significant number of municipal public The pears possible. The City is the only body in the ap- spaces in the course of developing the propriate financial position to build Southwest area. parking, especially by using the joint From the studies which have been made, venture parking concept such as the one it appears that parking underground, proposed for Nutting Road but larger in while expensive, could work if area. - - It must be kept in mind that the The quantity were large enough, and/ City does not own any land in this area or and it may not be feasible to buy the It did not extend below the water land at market value, build parking 36 structures and lease spaces at a realis- the parking business, since the de- Trinity Realty Trust has made mand seems to be there if the price tic rate. just such a proposal and believes it is right, but this is a high-risk would work and that they would do it if option. they did not have to compete with adja- not opt to build public spaces, the cent on-grade parking lots. City would have lost the opportunity Through Monacelli's and STUBBINS' If the private developers do for many years to come. Therefore, researches, the City has three basic this option, "Do Nothing", is not re- options: commended. B. Continue Pursuit of Joint Venture. A. Do Nothing. Just let the on-grade lots exist The continue pursuit of joint develcp- until the parcel is developed and ment concept will take time, requires that parking be accomodated staff, and financial resources to re- for the development only as called solve the deals. for in the Zoning Code. This option committed Afterwards, it would take funds to build the facilities. would ultimately deplete the only However, given the past record of large public parking resource which achievement, this option seems to exists. It may prove financially feasible to some developer to get into present little hope unless a true commitment is made. 37 C. Take Property for the Public Purposes and Build Parking. Fund program, is that the City provides parking for the commerical dis- The City may do this if it can show tricts. the real public need. A reliance on the private The fact is sector to build parking would mean a that the need exists and that the change of policy. If that were done, City should seriously consider this the Zoning Code should be altered and option. Now is the time when propera mechanism to insure adequate quan- ty in the Southwest Sector can be tity and location of parking in the taken with minimum negative impact or future should be prepared. creation of personal hardship. Therefore, option C by itself is Under this option, a garage belowvery possible and is the one most grade could be built with ground floor amenable to positive action. And the retail or community service accomodamost important thing is that this tions. It could be located in such a could be the catalyst to create deve- way as to present the minimum visual lopment. disturbance and yet be close to the V. Urban Design Criteria commercial area. At present, the imA. Height, Scale, Bulk, Density plicit parking policy of the City, The Policy Plan has suggested that a through its Zoning Code and Parking height limit of 60 to 80 feet be set on 38 the Harvard Square commercial area. The come-entrance feeling to the Southwest range of height was derived from the pre- area along Boylston Street and to the cedent of major buildings in entire Harvard Square area. To the north the area and the general acceptability of the scale which they create. In the Southwest along Mt. Auburn Street, the developed height had better be established as not area, special consideration must be gi- over 60 feet. ven to the related elements of form,bulk, ror the scale of the Brattle Street open spaces, orientation, and transi- block so as to establish a dense but tions, in order to propertly judge the not overpowering edge of Mt. Auburn effective height of a project. Street. There are three locations in the It is the intent to mir- To the west, abutting the small- scale residential development, a maximum Southwest area where height is of spe- of six stories, preferably less, should cial concern. be held. To the east, along Boyl- If the residential scale of soton Street, the height limit of deve- development is maintained at the western lopment had better not exceed the cor- edge, heights may be increased in the nice height established by the Harvard interior of the Southwest area without University Houses Area. Indeed, height ill effects. Along the north edge of the along that edge had better keep the rhy- park, a maximum of 80 feet might be ac- thm and harmony, so as to create a wel- ceptable; however, the variety in building 39 form and the opportunities to capture height, material, and form had better be view and sunshine for the central area institutional in character, yet capture of the site should be considered. the scale of the traditional Harvard Scale, Bulk and Density: these three Houses to the east and keep the continu- aspects of building form are interrelated ity with the entire Southwest Sector as they may apply to any location in the development. Southwest area. Analysis of the exist- B. Orientation, Sunlight, Views To the south it should capitalize on ing zoning shows that in each of the suggested parcel developments nearly 100 the view of the River, the park, and on percent of the allowable FAR can be the southern exposure. achieved. should have maximum frontage to the The development in the South- Apartment units west area also needs to indicate that the south, balconies and yards should be de- bulk, density and scale should be such signed as an integral part of the project. as to respect and harmonize with the C. Physical Form and Materials There are two basic principles in- abutting development as it now exists. The scale of the Kennedy School of Go- volved here: vernment and Institute of Politics should - The design of future projects needs be such as to help frame the entrance to to complete and harmonize with the Harvard Square from the River. Square, and Its 40 - Consideration of the whole as more important than its individual parts. Traditional use of brick, concrete, and modular construction is the major objective. 41 ECONOMIC AND MARKET ANALYSIS I. Retail Market Indicators (Resources: Gladstone Associates; The Community Development Department, City of Cambridge; The Harvard Square Task Force; and as indicated in the text.) (See Appendix, pp. 92-108.) A. Past and Present Trends Retail sales trends in the Boston Metropolitan Area have shown healthy increases in the major relevant retail categories (i.e., shoppers'goods, convenience goods, and eating and drinking establishments) in both the 1963-1967 and the 1967-1972 periods. On the other hand, comparable retail sales trends for the nine cities and towns in the Harvard Square market area experienced actual 42 declines - in real dollar terms - for 1.5 percent, and for convenience goods shoppers and convenience goods and had was minus 2.4 percent - in other words, only a modest gain in the eating and an actual decline in real dollar sales. drinking category. This reflects the Through the Charles G. Hilgenhurst declining retail market share of the Associates' study, the estimated 435,000 older metropolitan core shopping dis- sq. ft. of retail space in the Harvard tricts over the last ten years as com- Square Market Area was, in turn, subdi- pared to the growing importance of sub- vided in accordance with the census de- urban shopping locations with convenient finition of shoppers goods, convenience highway assesses. goods, and miscellaneous stores. Retail sales data for the Harvard Speci- fically, approximately 230,000 sq. ft. Square major retail center, as estimated (close to 53 percent) of the total retail by the Office of Economic Development floor space in Harvard Square contained and Manpower of the City of Cambridge, shoppers goods merchandise; about again bear out the relative stability 130,000 sq. and modest growth in retail sales in area carried convenience goods; and the the urban centers. remaining 75,000 sq. ft. (or 17 percent) This is especially true between 1967 and 1972 when the annual growth rate for shoppers goods was ft. . (30 percent) of the floor offered miscellaneous goods or services. Comparing the estimates of floor 43 area to the 1972 retail sales data, it creased markedly over the last ten to appears that Harvard Square merchants fifteen years, while the number of lar- sell, on the average, approximately ger shoppers goods and convenience goods $150 of goods/services per square foot outlets has remained relatively stable of floor space annually. The produc- over the same time period; finally, there tivity factors for shoppers goods and was an actual decline in the number of convenience goods were approximately retail businesses performing personal $190 and $110 per square foot, respec- repair and other miscellaneous services. tively. The high sales volumes are not Through the above quantitative and uncommon for desirable CBD locations and qualitative observations on the retail in fact, are necessary to justify high mechanics of Harvard Square, a forecast rent levels, taxes, and land costs. of potential retail sales was made based The change in the total number and on an estimate of increased purchasing types of retail establishments in Har- power, which resulted from growth in the vard Square over time is indicative of a number of households and real income in qualitative change in the retail "charac- the market area, and estimates of future ter" of Harvard Square. expenditure patterns for different types The number of eating and drinking establishments and "trend-setting" specialty stores in- of retail goods by regional consumers. 44 B. Shoppers Goods Retail Development Opportunities percent of shoppers interviewed (evi- dence of the healthy inflow in retail A survey of both merchants and shop- sales) were divided between residents of pers in Harvard Square was made by Glad- other more distant cities and towns in stone Associates in order to define the the Boston Metropolitan area, and tourmarket area from which Harvard Square ists from outside of the Metropolitan retailers are presently drawing trade. region. Survey results from "visitors" in the A forecast of additional supportable Square show that approximately 50 per- shoppers goods retail space in Harvard cent of shoppers interviewed came from Square is closely related to the pending either Cambridge or Boston. These areas public policy decisions which will have a were then defined as the "Primary Market direct bearing on the overall retail cliArea". A secondary market area was de- mate. Accordingly, the forecast is stated lineated, consisting of the surrounding below in terms of two broad categories: cities and towns (including Brookline, The "modest growth" category is enviNewton, Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, sioned for the Square if the present Somerville and Medford) from which an "specialty" retail environment is mainadditional 25 percent of the Harvard tained in Harvard Square (i.e., no Square shoppers come. The remaining 25 "chain" or department stores); conti- HARVARD SQUARE COMPARISON GOODS RETAIL MARKET AREA 46 nued high rents/land prices require would assume a broadening of the mar- high sales productivity per square ket either geographically and/or by foot of floor area; and if present the types of goods and services of- levels of traffic and parking accomo- fered, primarily through development dations are maintained, at minimum. of a major new increment of retail space in the Square (bringing in both Under these conditions, there appears new outlets and department store-type to be only a minimal demand for addigoods and services, and providing a tional shoppers goods retail space, "critical mass" which broadens the approximately 10,000 to 20,000 sq.ft., Square's market area and depth); the over the next 10 years. More speexpansion category would also assume cifically, it is anticipated that a the provision of adequate parking and projected increase, between 1975 and reasonable access and egress over and 1985, of approximately $8 to $10 milbelow the present levels of service. lion in retail sales in Harvard Square will be absorbed primarily in current If this category is the case, then it spaces, to offset the pressure of in- will expand the Square's penetration creasing productivity requirements. into the primary and secondary market areas, as well as make a modest pene- - In contrast, the "expansion category" 47 tration of a tertiary market area. Under the status quo conditions, total In specific terms, an increase of supportable square footage for conveni- perhaps $35 to $45 million in retail ence goods is expected to remain rela- sales would be possible - tively stable, with modest increases in resulting in a corresponding increase in sup- convenience goods sales and a very mode- portable floor area of up to 100,000 rate increase of approximately 5,000 sq. sq. ft. (and implicitly, holding down ft. of supportable space. rapid rent increases in current re- of 2,000 households in the expansion tail space in the Square). category results in an increase of appro- C. Convenience Goods Retail Development Opportunities The addition ximately $1.5 million in sales and a net gain of an additional 15,000 square feet Forecasts of supportable convenience of retail space over current levels. retail areas, similar to the above analyIn short, analysis of the two catesis, also take into account two distinct gories above, which representing the categories, the "status quo" conditions likely extremes of future residential with little significant new residential developments, illustrates a limited podevelopments in the Square; and expansion tential for new convenience goods retail resulting from the addition of 2,000 new development, with a maximum of perhaps housing units in the Primary Market Area. 15,000 square feet. From a practical 48 viewpoint, this estimate of new conveni- Metropolitan region is distributed as ence space would likely be exceeded in follows: 60 percent in downtown Boston, the form of eating and drinking estab- 30 percent in Route 128 lishments, which have a regional rather areas, and 10 percent in the inner sub- than a local draw. Food and drug stores - outer suburban urbs, which was defined as areas within will characterize most future conveni- a five-mile radius of Kenmore Square ence space expansion in Harvard Square but excluding downtown Boston. as a direct function of new residen- Thus, inner suburban locations (such as tial development which may occur. Cambridge) represent only a minor II. Office Market Indicators share of the Metropolitan office market, A. Past and Present Trends and most of these office spaces are in Between 1960 and 1974, an annual ave- single purpose buildings - such as is rage of 1.2 million sq. ft. of new major found in Technology Square and the State office space was constructed in the Bos- Street South development in North Quincy. ton Metropolitan Area; in the last five In the City of Cambridge, a more de- years, moreover, the annual average has tailed inventory of office construction been on the order of two million sq. ft. by year, based on building premit data, According to detailed surveys by the Ryan Elliot Company, office space in the indicates an average annual construction level of approximately 120,000 square 49 feet between 1961 and 1975. In contrast the City's average new space occupied, to the Metropolitan trends, the peak 55,000 square feet per year. years of office space development in Square, new office occupancy has been Cambridge were in the early and mid- evenly divided between competitive and 1960's, primarily as the result of the non-competitive facilities, while in the development of Technology Square; since balance of the City a major share of 1971 an average of only 80,000 square recent office demand has derived from feet of new office space has been built competitive space occupants. annually in the City of Cambridge. Recent obsorption trends in Cambridge office facilities - from 1972 to the In Harvard Rent levels in the competitive office space surveyed generally ranged from $7.00 to $9.50 per square foot of gross present - indicate that the Harvard leasable area. Square area has captured nearly 50 per- nants - such as the Polaroid Corporation cent of the Cambridge office market in Technology Square - have long term during this period. Specifically, new office occupancy has averaged nearly 26,000 square feet per year in each of Some non-competitive te- leases at $6.25 to $6.75 per square foot. B. Forecast of Office Demand On the Metropolitan level, the demand the last three years in the Harvard for new office construction is a function Square portion of Cambridge, or half of of the expected growth in employment be- 50 tween 1975 and 1985 within those occu- ponents, an allocation of 10 to 15 pations and industries (such as profes- percent was estimated to accrue to the sional, managerial, clerical, finance, inner suburban region. services, etc.) which are generally an annual demand ranging from 170,000 considered "office using". to 250,000 square feet of office space Based on de- Specifically, tailed forecasts by occupation and in- is expected in the coming decade in the dustry of future employment growth by inner suburbs of which Cambridge is a the Massachusetts Department of Employ- part. ment Security, an estimated annual in- Within this office market framework, crease of approximately 6,200 office- the Harvard Square area could reasonably using employees will be derived for the capture 8 to 10 percent of the inner 1975-1985 period. suburban office development potential. Within the Boston Metropolitan Area, This would result in an annual absorption an aggregate demand for new office space ranging from 13,000 to 25,000 square of approximately 1.7 million square feet feet, a conservative estimate consistent annually is expected between 1975 and with recent absorption levels. 1985. Subdividing the Metropolitan office demand into its expected geographic com- The principle variables affecting future development of office space in the Harvard Square area are 51 Appropriate land costs and building of larger tenants may occur as the mass economics; transit service to the Square is im- - Site availability; and proved. - A resolution of parking/circulation III. Residential Market Indicators issues in the Square, including the A. Past and Present Trends - replacement of present parking spaces During the 1960's, an average of to be lost, the location of off-street 9,000 new dwelling units were added an- parking facilities, and the amount of nually to the Boston Metropolitan region. new all-day parking spaces to be al- The Metropolitan Core Area and the City located to servicing new office de- of Cambridge captured only a minor por- velopments. tion of this new construction with 770 New office spaces are likely to be and 242 units per year, respectively - evenly divided between single purpose and only approximately 30 new units were and general occupancy space, consistent constructed in the Harvard Square section with past trends in the Square. Most new occupancy will likely be of a spe- of Cambridge. For the Metropolitan region, the te- cialized nature, such as smaller profes- nure characteristics of housing, between sional offices, quasi-public institu- owner and renter occupants, were evenly tional users and the like. Some influx split. In contrast, in Harvard Square, 52 In the non-student apartments, the City of Cambridge, and the Metropoli- cluded. tan Core Area, new housing was virtually tenants tended to be primarily young entirely for rental occupancy. Unit singles and couples iwth professional types tend to be oriented toward smaller jobs, many of whom worked in either households, with efficiency and one bed- Cambridge or nearby portions of Boston. room apartments predominating, and a much There are relatively few older couples smaller number of two and three bedroom and retired persons in these apartment units available. projects, particularly in locations Rent levels, on the average, range from $200 to $240 for efficiencies, and $240 to $285 for one bedroom units though a number of one bedroom units were offered at $300 to $325. Rents for the close to Harvard Square. B. Residential Development Opportunities A forecast of aggregate housing demand for the Harvard Square market area through 1985 was made from the following few two and three bedroom units ranged three elements: a net increase in the around $330 to $335 and $450 to $525, number of households, replacement needs, respectively. and an allowance for vacancy. In terms of tenant types, there was a An annual average of approximately 900 clear distinction betwene buildings in new housing units is expected within the which students were allowed or were ex- Metropolitan Core Area between 1975 and 53 1985, a level very comparable to the experience of the 1960's. On the Metro- Square area, around $50-$60 per square foot, in addition to the limited number politan regional level, an aggregate of available sites and premium construc- demand of 11,000 to 13,000 new dwelling tion costs resulting from poor soil con- units per year for the next ten years is ditions, will limit the development of expected, which is also very consistent sufficient housing units to fully meet and even slightly more conservative than potential housing demand. the 1960-1973 trends would indicate. IV. Quality Hotel Market Indicators An aggregate demand for 1,400-2,700 new dwelling units can be anticipated in A. Past and Present Trends New construction of quality hotel the Harvard Square area over the next facilities averaged approximately 230 decade, according to an estimate by the rooms in the Boston-Cambridge area be- Gladstone Associates. However, of this tween 1960 and 1973. Most of this actiOver- quantity, it is reasonable to expect that vity occured in the early 1960's. only 300-500 units would appear to be all, the City of Cambridge captured ap- supportable at rent/price levels high proximately 25 percent of the new con- enough to offset the high land values in struction of quality transient facilities the immediate Harvard Square area. In another way, the high land values in the in the Boston-Cambridge area between 1960 and 1973. 54 A survey of the quality transient fa- in hotel demand is expected in the City cilities in the City of Cambridge showed of Cambridge through 1985. that the City-wide occupancy rate was Square area can reasonably be expected approximately 75-77 percent. Hotels in The Harvard to capture approximately between 25 and Cambridge rely primarily on university- 50 percent of this increased demand. related and other business visitors as Resulting development potential would be well as tourists for their trade; on the from 80 to 160 rooms for the ten-year other hand, conventions do not play a period. major role except as "spillover" from The completion of the new Hyatt Re- Boston when hotels there are fully occu- gency Hotel on Memorial Drive with 500 pied. luxury rooms is one factor which affects B. Forecast of Development Potentials the expected demand in Harvard Square; Based upon the current occupancy le- the problem associated with the proposed vels in excess of the breakeven point of 360-room Holiday Inn at Nutting Road is 70 percent and an expected increase in a further indication of the limited mar- demand for quality rooms of 4 percent ket for hotel development at present. annually, which reflects an increase in The Holiday Inn was intended primarily tourists, commercial visitors, and con- to serve the increase in the number of ventions; a total increase of 320 rooms tourists that would have been generated 55 with the locating of the Kennedy Museum A. Retailing in the Southwest Sector; however, the Future development of significant subsequent erosion of this important amounts of additional retail facili- support makes the prospects for deve- ties in the area will be conditioned lopment of this facility very dim. primarily by the Square's future ability to absorb additional vehicles The possible development would be a and pedestrians, and to provide ade- university-affiliated overnight lodging or hospitality facility. quate parking space. Like Prince- ton's Princeton Inn and Dartmouth's - The future retail expansion is likely Hanover Inn, such a property would pre- to consist primarily of speciality sumably attract some university-related goods and services outlets, similar business and alumni visitors to the Har- to the present activities in the area. vard Square area. Up to 100,000 square feet of added V. Summary of Market Findings specialty retail space is supportable With respect to market-oriented land in Harvard Square over the next de- uses in the Harvard Square area, the cade, if parking and vehicular circu- market study identified the following lation and access are provided to conditions. serve regional consumers. Pedestrian 56 environment improvements will also be C. Offices desirable and important in establish- - Harvard Square is rapidly becoming ing and maintaining this unique re- one of the prestigious office loca- gional appeal. tions in the Metropolitan Area. - B. Housing However, larger employers report in- Up to 2,000 housing units could be creasing problems and employee dis- absorbed in the Harvard Square area satisfactions with the Square's diffi- over the next decade. cult access/parking situation. However, given high land costs and poor soil - If parking and access problems could be solved, up to 250,000 square feet conditions in the area, it is expected that only 300-500 of new office space might be absorbed dwelling units can be absorbed in in the area by 1985. this period at the expensive rent D. Hotels levels or sales prices dictated by - No significant demand for a net addi- current development economics in the tion of new hotel rooms is anticipated Harvard Square area, unless major in the area, due to the current room amounts of assisted housing are de- availability and nearby current ex- veloped in the area. pansion. 57 - However, a university-affiliated "College Inn" could be quite successful in the area. (See Appendix for tables and illustrations relating to retail development potentials, office space availability, consumer surveys, etc.) 58 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND PHASING I. Land Use Policies The development pattern of the Southwest area should be a mixed-use development, which can be divided into four areas (illustration p. 59): A. Commercial Area Mixed-use developments should be encouraged in the Commercial Area within the Southwest Sector. The following uses and activities are appropriate in that part of the area: office space, restaurant and cultural-entertainment facilities, housing, small hotel, general merchandising, retailing, and parking facilities. Harvard University, when building facing the commercial core, should be 80103S co 0 -q 0 z C/) 6SI IS3MHiAOS 60 encouraged to construct a mixed-use de- as to avoid consuming large amounts of velopment, combining institutional uses valuable urban land. and economic development activities in a C. Riverfront Area manner which would represent an integra- The part of the present MBTA yards tion with the commercial core. facing Memorial Drive and the Charles B. Central Area River should be devoted to an open park- The most appropriate activities for this part of the Southwest area between the Commercial Area and the Riverfront like area. D. Nutting Road Area Mixed-use development is appropriate Area are medium density housing, acade- in this area and should act as a transi- mic facilities, and open space/plaza. tion between the Commercial Area and the Residential developments should be residential development to the west. It permitted to have some sites facing the should be primarily medium-density, re- park in the Riverfront Area, without sidential development with only a limited creating a visual or physical barrier amount of small-scale office space. between the Charles River and the Harvard Square area. Tax-exempt institutional developments should be relatively compact so To achieve a transition from commercial to residential areas, it is suggested that office spaces be in the eastern part of this area, and oriented 61 toward the Commercial Area; and apart- walkway. ment buildings be located to the west II. Urban Form and south of the present Nutting Road. Offices in the Nutting Road Area had In order to provide a connection to the existing business district, and to better be oriented toward relatively avoid creating a development pressure on small firms. the residential neighborhoods to the The office space had bet- ter be oriented away from the Charles west and the Harvard Houses to the east, River and toward the Commercial Area, the more intensive development activity with a facade treatment of office space should be located in the commercial Area being as compatible with a residential and the Central Area. character as is feasible. Pedestrian Meanwhile, it should be sympathetic to the park-like entrance to offices from Mt. Auburn character of the Riverbank and to the Street and Nutting Road is appropriate. height and scale of the buildings pre- Without representing an expansion of commercial activities into the Nutting sently on Memorial Drive. The continuity of brick as the domi- Road Area, a limited number of small- nant building material used along the scale retail shops and restaurants would Riverfront had better be maintained. be appropriately located at the ground Toward the Commercial Area, other mate- floor and along the main pedestrian rials could be considered but the scale, 62 durability, texture, and color which are front should provide for a broad spect- achieved by the use of brick should be rum of age groups and user groups, and prime criteria for judgement. should include different types and III. Open Space and Pedestrian Movement sizes of spaces,such as small sitting The presently undeveloped Southwest areas, large grassy areas, and some area provides an outstanding opportunity hard surface areas for group events and to create a primarily pedestrian environ- temporary exhibitions. Pedestrian walkways should provide ment within the area, in which pedestrians should be separated both verti- connections to other parts of the South- cally and horizontally from vehicles. west Sector and to the Harvard Square The open space system in the Southwest area should serve as an important area. - Three categories are suggested: Main Pedestrian Way element in organizing the relationships An important pedestrian way through among the four areas; provide a transi- part of the commercial area, along tion from commercial to residential part of Eliot St. and Brattle St. and academic uses nearby; and provide leading to the Kiosk area in Harvard a focal place which is an important Square. open space in its own right. The open space located in the River- - (See "SITE Access" p. 63.) Secondary Pedestrian Ways Pedestrian ways on a more intimate SS300V 311S S130HVd m m==' NVIHWS3O3d m m - - - mmml I L --- 4 nc E9 [ 64 - scale should be developed, one west- tem which is scaled to pedestrian even- erly along Nutting Road to connect ing activity should be installed. with Story Street, the other passes total system of paving of pedestrian by Craigie Apartments and the Harvard ways utilizing more textured materials Motor Hotel, crossing Mt. Auburn St. such as brick or stone should be in- through the middle of the Brattle- stalled under a public improvement pro- Story block leading to Brattle St. gram. Walkways sidered as an amenity. Various walkways and paths, connect- ground floor set-back, canopies, and ing the Charles River, Memorial veranda should be provided to allow Drive, the Nutting Road area, Mt. continuous pedestrian circulation under Auburn St.,and the Harvard Houses cover. A Weather protection should be conA system of Focal places should be located at should be made. The elements of streescape (lighting, the proper places. These are spaces signs, paving, canopies, trash recep- large enough to accomodate the varied tacles, mail boxes, seating areas, activities, which may constitute an end kiosks, outdoor merchandise containers, in themselves, rather than a space which and so forth) should be organized into one passes by or through. a unified concept. actviities here are exhibitions, small A new lighting sys- Appropriate 65 street fairs, small concerts, public of speeches, public services, or simply - regular use; passive sitting and outdoor enjoyments. Niches should be scattered in the Southwest Sector. - About 230 existing legal curb parking spaces; Those are small places which occur adjacent to side- About 550 illegal parking spaces in - About 700 legal spaces in off-street walk or walkways and accomodate various lots due to new building development; special pedestrian-related functions and such as eating, vending, sitting, small exhibits, etc.; these cannot occur without impeding movement. Numerous niches - Curb-side parking spaces (temporary) that will result from the construction, and particularly the related of varying sizes and characters should traffic detours of the extension of be encouraged. the Red Line rapid transit in Harvard IV. Parking Square. A. Existing Conditions The construction of 1,500 new public Even if no new parking spaces are parking spaces in off-street garages is provided, the number of existing parking referred to as a replacement parking spaces in Harvard Square could be reduced program that provides no net increase in by nearly 1,500 spaces due to elimination parking spaces, and is seen as a mini- 66 C. Alternate Modes of Transportation mum effort to be undertaken. Suggestions for alternate modes of B. General Policies for Parking 1. Provide a sufficient amount of parking transportation are to enable the Harvard Square commercial 1. Encourage increased use of public area to retain and enhance its position transportation; in the City's economic system without 2. Encourage walking by locating new forcing it to become increasingly depen- housing within reasonable walking dis- dent upon the automobile. tance; 2. Provide off-street parking primarily 3. Improve bicycle routes and storage; for replacement parking and to meet the 4. Designate specific bicycle routes in municipal essential requirements for new the Harvard Square area, provide physi- development. cal improvements to make such routes 3. Control the amount of parking so that safe, public transportation remains an attrac- of bicycle storage facilities to the tive alternate mode of travel. convenience of the riders. 4. Provide off-street parking garages and 5. Encourage car-pooling. gradually replace much of the curb-side 6. Provide a specific amount of parking, parking. consciously set the rates for use of (See "Existing Parking", p. 67.) attractive and relate the location parking facilities, according to their 67 II CD, z 0 C') 0 mo EXISTING PARKING 68 location and the time of day or night, to achieved. encourage a "turnover" of parking for V. Service and Goods Movement shoppers and buyers near the commercial Deliveries and the movement of goods area; make parking charges more expen- is the lifeblood of commerce. sive than public transportation; encou- sent haphazard service and goods move- rage car pools by offering rebates for ment practices, as symbolized by the multi-occupant cars; discourage all-day double-parked truck blocking a street, parking. or by the sidewalk blocked to pedestrians, Parking for the occupants of housing, commercial, or other developments in the Southwest Sector can be accommodated in the same parking garage as municipal parking. Parking garages constructed in The pre- are unsatisfactory to the general public and costly to the businesses. In the Southwest Sector, there should be established an integrated loadingservice system which minimizes conflicts the Southwest area, regardless of the between pedestrians and traffic movement owner or developer of such facilities, in the area; all new individual develop- should be designed in manner to promote ments should be required to be connected multiple parking occupancy so that the to that system. most efficient around-the-clock use of take place entirely within the area's expensive parking facilities can be loading-service system, and not on the Service-loading should 69 boundary streets, such as Mt. Auburn St. Cambridge, and Arlington Center, as or Boylston St. part of the first phase of construc- Furthermore, to investigate the fea- tion. The first phase would cost sibility of small off-street freight $315 million. transfer and delivery stations and stor- become available, perhaps in the 1980's, age in the area, possibly in conjunction the Red Line might be extended to with off-street parking, to reduce the Arlington Heights, or possibly through frequency of deliveries, and to permit Lexington to a terminus at Rt. 128. deliveries to businesses to be made dur- Subsequently, when funds At present, most of the bus and ing off-peak hours should all be consi- trackless trolley lines terminate at dered. the Harvard Square station. VI. Public Transportation tem of bus routes, designed many years As presently planned Line D-2, the That sys- ago, permits easy transfer to rapid northwest extension of the Red Line, transit trains. would proceed from Harvard Square in a tension of the Red Line, about half of tunnel directly up Massachusetts Avenue, the bus lines now coming into Harvard with a station at Porter Square, and Square could either be eliminated or thence to stations at Davis Square in routed into new rapid transit stations Somerville, the Alewife area of West along the Red Line extension. However, with the ex- The re- 70 maining bus lines should be reoriented - Central Area - specialties commercial to a new system which provides better space, office, open plaza, crosstown service in Cambridge. second/third floor retail, institu- A. Proposed Land Uses tional facilities, below-grade park- According to the Policy Plan, the ing. Riverfront - open-space park. general land uses in the Southwest - Sector Development are B. Program - The Commercial Area - mixed use; ap- Program for the new Southwest Sector propriate activities include office Development is space, restaurants and cultural-en- - Retail space: 75,000 sq. ft. tertainment facilities, housing, - Office space:180,000 sq. ft. motel, small-scale general merchan- - Residential: 350 units. disers, retailing, and some under- - Institutional:100,000 sq. ft. for as follows: phase 1 construction. ground parking facilities. - first, Nutting Road Area - office space, - Parking: 1,300 spaces. ground-level retailers, conventional - Park: 5.06 acres. apartment buildings, owner-occupants Through investigation of Program for or family-type residentials with the John Fitzgerald Kennedy School of underground parking. Government, which was prepared by Har- 71 vard University in August, 1976, certain - Under Phasing, section A, 4: findings should be stated here for fu- "The MBTA may use the Pedestrian ture Southwest Sector development: Connector and the west portion of - the Park for parking, construction Under Site Requirements section C, Parking: be provided on this site. August, 1984 Require- (8 years after legis- ments for parking will be met from lation). the University's overall pool or must be kept open for access to the from participation in a parking completed portion of the Park." structure in the Related Facilities - staging and interim transport up to "No parking spaces are to - The Pedestrian Connector Under Harvard Futures: development." "Fortunately, Harvard has no need of Under Phasing, section A, 3: the remainder of its site at this "The MBTA may use the Bennett Street time and can accept the MBTA require- Yards until alternative storage and ments more easily than the rest of maintenance facilities are found... the site. The MBTA must vacate the site by be made to ensure the MBTA does va- February, 1979 (2 1/2 years after cate the site in 8 years." legislation)." However, every effort must 72 While the dates are written into law, if the MBTA runs into delays in moving the buses off Bennett Street or the Red land to be used here must be invested to the Harvard Square area as a WHOLE. The remodeling and rehabilitation of Line extension has construction or poli- the Craigie Apartments and Harvard Motor tical delays, clearly the target will be Hotel could be Phase I development for viewed as flexible by the State. the Southwest Sector. Suggestions are to Phasing for the Southwest Sector De- reuse the basement and backyard as com- velopment seems to be greatly influenced mercial space at Craigie Apartments; and by the Red Line extension and MBTA bus to remodel the first and second floors routes. However, for Harvard to build of the Harvard Motor Hotel to be a com- Phase I 100,000 sq. ft. of the School mercial, small office space; and to create of Government and Institute of Politics, one level below grade retail environment now is the very moment to urge Harvard to emphasize the outdoor space feeling to "ADD-IN" below grade parking facili- with a street cafe on Craigie's backyard ties there. As stated in previous sec- tions, the inadequate parking is the most across the pedestrian walkway. Phase II starts from the Nutting Road serious factor which might totally block Area to build underground parking, first the future Harvard Square Development. floor retail, Therefore, every single square inch of ing units. small offices and 180 hous- 73 Phase III: hoping that the Red Line scale, and use the hierarchy of main and extension and MBTA bus routes are fi- secondary pedestrian ways, walkways, and nished around 1984, the extension of veranda, plaza/open spaces to create development in the Commercial Area, of- identities and continuity along the fice, retail, housing in the Central whole site. Area, and the Riverfront Area park A physical design has been developed could all start to build after the un- (illustrated pp. 74-83) to exemplify the derground parking has been finished. findings of this research and the guide- Then, in Harvard's Phase II, 200,000 sq. lines of this program. ft. of the School of Government and Institute of Politics could start to link the Phase I into the development as a whole. The new development here should maintain the characteristics of Harvard Square urban forms and urban context as those described in previous sections. However, the total development should be emphasized as being on a pedestrian 74 ii r L \ ~ J, - /, S/ L 14.0 . 13.0* * N HARVARD SQUARE S.W. SECTOR PROPOSED PARKING 12.5 20.5 75 4 4kp 1. COMMERCIAL 2. RESIDENTIAL 3. INSTITUTIONAL 4. CRAIGIE APARTMENTS 5. J.F.K. MEMORIAL PARK SITE PLAN & GROUND FLOOR PLAN 2I 76 SECTION A-A 7F~ 77-Tl 7--| 4 NoUSING HOUSAG HINWui HOU$1 OFF!C _ _ --- _ _ME_ I~ ~ 11 1 I% 1 I 1 NousIY ~ICUS _ _ PARIRGI _ 1N - -os1 1 -1=1 1 -omc 11 OFFICE I I PARKING11 1 SECTION B - B 0 25 50 100 77, -I I- -F--s I- let LEVEL RESIDENTIAL 2nd LEVEL L.L 9 -J II.- -a E miu~~EEEE1IEE1N I.- 3rd LEVEL 0 25 50 100 78 -i -j 6- 4. I.6 6- 4th LEVEL 5th LEVEL 6th LEVEL 0 25 50 100 79 I 0 81 (N I I'I 83 84 IMPLEMENTATION CONTROL Some tools and mechanisms should be considered in any efforts to formulate a specific process for controlling future development in the Harvard Square area. I. Special Assessment Districts An increasingly popular vehicle for financing public area improvements, such as the proposed pedestrian circulation plan for the Harvard Square area, is the creation of special assessment districts. Such districts are created from those properties which would benefit directly from certain public expenditures, and a special tax assessment over and above the community's normal real estate taxes is levied on these properties to finance 85 the proposed improvements. II. Public Parking Facilities Such districts have been particularly The most important factor which might popular as a means of financing pedes- influence the future development at Har- trian shopping mall areas. vard Square is parking. One of the Limited parking largest of these is Nicollet Mall in and congested vehicular and pedestrian Minneapolis, Minnesota. circulation systems are the area's cri- Its approximate cost of $3,000,000 was financed by two tical urban design, economic, and social special assessment zones, with 80% of planning constraints. the cost being financed through proper- tinued encouragement of retail goods and ties in zone I, which included all sites services and entertainment establishments directly abutting the actual pedestrian is desirable, it will be necessary to mall, and 20% of the cost assumed by pro- improve the area's supply of parking perties in zone II, those sites lying spaces. within one block of the mall. The important distinction in the ap- Also, if the con- Typically, revenue bonds have been used to finance downtown parking develop- plication of this assessment is the le- ments, with many communities creating gal statutory authority to levy, assess parking authorities whose bonds are and collect taxes, rather than asking guaranteed by parking revenues from fa- for voluntary contributions. cilities controlled by the authority. 86 In some municipalities, parking autho- on their property in lieu of providing rity revenue bonds have been issued with full parking facilities under the zon- additional backing, including income ing requirements applicable to their from other city-owned properties or the site. full faith and credit of the municipa- on an annual basis and are used to pay lity. the debt service on the general obliga- Another tactic utilized by parking These assessments are charged authorieite is the loan of low-cost bond tion bonds issued to construct parking revenues to private parking facility facilities to provide the parking space developers, as has been done in the City not made available by the property of Baltimore, Maryland, for instance. owners. Parking facilities in some municipa- A particularly interesting variation lities have been established through of this special assessment concept which special assessment districts, described may offer specific promise for the Har- above. The assessments are typically vard Square area is the purchase of park- used to guarantee revenue bonds or to ing authority bonds by developers and subsidize parking rates in commercial property owners in lieu of providing re- areas. For example, Montgomery County, quired parking on their site. This me- Maryland, requires developers or pro- chanism has been used quite successfully perty owners to pay an ad valorem tax by various California communities and 87 has been quite useful in encouraging new ing 100 parking spaces for his proposed but small-scale development on small development could either spend the sites which would not typically offer money on his own site, if an acceptable an acceptable design solution for on- design solution were available, or site parking. could purchase $700,000 worth of park- In lieu of providing on-site parking required by current zoning, the develop- ing authority bonds and retire these. This process offers particularly in- er can purchase and retire bonds from teresting potential for the Harvard the local parking authority, equivalent Square area. in value to the construction cost which perty owners to provide their own off- would have been incurred to provide the street parking is unrealistic for many number of parking spaces that otherwise of Harvard Square's small parcels, and would have been required on-site. will only encourage assembly of larger For However, requiring pro- example, the parking authority may have sites - contradicting the goal of re- previously built (or be planning the taining as much as possible of the construction of) a parking garage in the area's small-scale amenity. vicinity of the site with an average a hybrid arrangement which allows for cost of $1,000 per parking space (owing the use of certain public agency advan- to soil conditions). A developer requir- tages (such as site assembly and lower- Therefore, 88 cost borrowing) but which is financed principally by those property owners who both contribute to the present problem and would benefit most from its solution, would offer an appealing solution for this very significant constraint on Harvard Square's future social and economic viability. 89 CONCLUSION A broad array of competing social and economic forces clash in the Harvard Square area at present. It is likely that economic interests will eventually over-ride many other goals, and the Square may easily experience either increasingly dense urban development, if the area's parking and traffic circulation constraints can be resolved; or slow stagnation and physical decline, if these access and egress constraints remain, forcing commercial users to seek alternative, more accessible, locations. Zoning alone is not likely to effectively guide future change - such static ordinances, buffeted by competing interests, do not typically stand up under 90 dynamic pressures for change over time. ful application of more traditional pro- Rather, the empirical evidence is that cedures, including zoning. the zoning process is more likely to be What is needed in Harvard Square a legislative articulation of economic is a unique response to a unique situa- interests and objectives at a particular tion - at the very frontier of the point in time - a compact which can state of the art of controlling and in- readily be renegotiated as the regulated fluencing community change. economic forces change. lation of a broadly accepted set of What is required, and what the estab- The formu- policy goals was a start in this direc- lishment of the Harvard Square Develop- tion, since few communities have yet ment Task Force apparently recognized, found the energy and will power to en- is an intelligent, sensitive and complex gage in such a demanding multi-paritci- balancing of these competing forces. pant process. Not all parties will be fully satisfied; This policy statement needs to be compromise is implicit, otherwise pro- moved forward, however, into a carefully longed conflicts will frustrate the constructed plan which reflects these realization of balanced change. New policy goals; then into a pragmatically community development tools and pro- managed implementation process which cesses will be required, as well as art- accepts change and seeks to sensitively 91 alone, no matter how carefully monitored, guide it rather than fight it. In summary, it should be recognized is unlikely to be sufficient, and yet that the Harvard Square area is in the little else is presently available. For- process of significant changes - and is tuitous chance may intervene, and change likely to be as different in ten years within the present controls may well be from its present condition as it is dif- compatible and desirable. ferent today from its condition ten will be most reassuring to the future of years ago. Whether this emerging form and content will be compatible with the Policy Plan goals is unknown. But with- out further work to translate these goals into action, there is no particular reason to expect such a favorable chance event might be achieved by active guidance of those dynamic forces at work in the community. The future is uncertain, change will occur, and there is insufficient guidance at present toward that future. Zoning However, it Harvard Square to be able to rely on vocal citizens' interest and participation in planning for it. 92 APPENDIX The fourteen tables and two illustrations which comprise this Appendix relate to the section on Economic and Market Analysis (pp. 41-57). 93 SUMMARY FORECAST OF RETAIL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS STATUS QUO vs. EXPANSION SCENERIOS 1975 - 1985 Retail Square Footage StatusQuol) Expansion 2 Shoppers Goods ) Supportable Space (1985) 180,000- 240,000 350,000 Less Present Inventory (1975) 230,000 230,000 Potential New Development 0.- 10,000 120,000 Convenience Goods3) Supportable Space (1985) 100,000- 140,000 110,000- 150,000 Less Present Inventory (1975) 130,000 130,000 Potential New Development 0- 10,000 0- 20,000 1) Assumes Harvard Square maintains its present vitality and market strength, and continues to serve the market it has developed over the last decade - without substantial physical changes which would allow for major expansion of present retail plant. 2) Includes general merchandise, apparel, furniture, books and stationery stores. 3) Includes food, drug and eating and drinking. Source: Gladstone Associates. ESTIMATED SUPPORTABLE CONVENIENCE GOODS RETAIL SPACE HARVARD SQUARE AREA, 1975 Primary Market Areal) Secondary Market Area2) 10,200 30,000 $15,000 $14,400 $115,040 $432,000 Number of Households Estimated Mean Income4) Aggregate Income (000's) Percent Spent on Convenience Goods5) 20.1 20.1 Potential Convenience Goods Sales (000's) $31,163 $86,832 Estimated Harvard Square Capture Harvard Square Conv. Retail Sales (000's) Productivity Factor Supportable Convenience Retail Sq. Footage Total 15- 20% 5- 7% $4,674 $4,342 $6,078 $2,254 $11,270 $6,233 $3,078 $15,389 $115/SF $115/SF $115/SF $115/SF 40,640 37,760 52,850 19,600 26,760 98,000 133,810 54,200 1) Includes census tracts 3536, 3537, 3538, 3539, 3540 and 354.1. 2) Includes the balance of Cambridge and census tracts 1 and 8 in Allston. 3) Estimated at 20 percent. 4) In constant 1974 dollars. 5) Includes expenditures for food, drug and eating and drinking. Source: Gladstone Associates. Inflow3) 94 ESTIMATED SUPPORTABLE SHOPPERS GOODS RETAIL SPACE 95 HARVARD SQUARE AREA, 1975 1975 Primary Market Area 1 Secondary Market Area2) Number of Households 251,600 140,700 Estimated Mean Income 4) $14,300 $2,631,090 $3,597,880 $2,631,090 Aggregate Income (000's) Inflow3) Total Percent Spent on Shoppers Goods5) Potential Shoppers Goods Sales (000' s) 15.3 15.3 $550,475 $402,557 Estimated Harvard Square Capture Rate Potential Harvard Square Sales (000's) Productivity Factor 4 - 5% 2 - 3% $22,019 $8,051 $5,306 $35,376 $27,524 $12,077 $6,988 $46,589 $200/SF $200/SF $200/SF $200/SF 110,095 137,620 40,255 60,385 26,530 176,880 34,940 232,945 Supportable Shoppers Goods Retail Sq. Footage (S.F.) 1) Includes Cambridge and Boston. 2) Includes Brookline, Newton, Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, Somerville and Medford. 3) Estimated at 15 percent of total sales. 4) In constant 1974 dollars. 5) Includes expenditures in general merchandise, apparel, furniture, book and stationery stores. Source: Gladstone Associates. 96 ESTIMATED SUPPORTABLE CONVENIENCE GOODS RETAIL SPACE HARVARD SQUARE AREA, 1985 1985 (to new residential units) Pr imary Market Area') Secondary Market Area2) 1985 (Expansion Scenario) New Primary Total Previous Total Market Residents 10,500 31,000 2,000 $20,850 $1R,350 $20,850 $218,925 $568,850 $41,700 Percent Spent on Convenience Goods5) 20.1 20.1 20.1 Potential Convenience Goods Sales (000's) $44,004 $114,339 $8,382 15-20 % 5- 7 Number of Households Estimated Mean Income Aggregate Income (000's) Estimated Harvard Square Capture Harvard Square Conv. Retail Sales (000's) Productivity Factor Supportable Convenience Retail Sq. Footage $6,601 $8,801 $150/SF 44,010 58,670 % 15-20% $5,717 $3,080 $15,398 $15,398 $1,257 $16,655 $8,004 $4,201 $21,006 $21,006 $1,676 $22,682 $150/SF $150/SF $150/SF $150/SF $150/SF $150/SF 38,110 53,360 20,530 28,010 102,650 140,040 102,650 8,380 11,173 111,030 151,200 1) Includes census tracts 3536, 3537, 3538, 3539, 3540, 3541. 2) Includes the balance of Cambridge and census tracts 1 and 8 in Alston. 3) Estimated at 20 percent. 4) In constant 1974 dollars. 5) Includes expenditures for food, drug and eating and drinking. Source: Gladstone Associates. New Total 140,040 p.' 97 HARVARD SQUARE COMPARISON GOODS RETAIL MARKET AREA 98 ESTIMATED SUPPORTABLE SHOPPERS GOODS RETAIL SPACE HARVARD SQUARE AREA, 1985 1985 _Present Equilibrium) Secondary Market ~) r-Kea2)Inflow3) Total Area I) Primar Market Market Area I 1985 (Expansion Scenerio) Secondary Tertiary Market Market 6) Inflow) Area Area2) Primary Number of Households 253,1 00 147,300 -- 253,100 147,300 313,000 -- Estimated Mean Income4) $18, )00 $23,600 -- $18,000 $23,600 $23,500 -- $4,555, 300 $3476,280 -- $4,555,800 $7,355,500 -- Aggregate Income (000's) Percent Spent on 5 Shoppers Goods ) Potential Shoppers Goods Sales (000's) 15. 5 15.5 $706,149 $538,823 15.5 $706,149 $3,476,280 15.5 $538,823 15.5 $1,140,102 Total -- -- Estimated Harvard Square Capture Rate 4- 5% Potential Harvard Square Sales (000's) $28,246 $35,307 $10,776 $16,165 $6,886 $45,908 $60,555 $49,430 $20,575 $8,750 $8,750) $87,50) $9,083 Productivity Factor $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF $250/SF 112,985 141,230 43,105 64,660 27,545 36,330 183,635 242,220 197,700 82,300 35,000 35,000 Supportable Shoppers Goods Retail Sq. Footage (S.F.) 7% 2 - 3% 4% 1) Includes Cambridge and Boston. 2) Includes Brookline, Newton, Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, Somerville and Medford. 3) Estimated at 15 percent of total sales. 4) In constant 1974 dollars. stores. 5) Includes expenditures in general merchandise, apparel, furniture, book and stationery 6) Estimated at 10 percent of total sales. Source: Gladstone Associates. 0.8% -- 350,000 DISTRIBUTION OF SHOPPERS INTERVIEWED BY PLACE OF RESIDENCE HARVARD SQUARE, AUGUST 1975 Primary Market Area Harvard Square Balance of Cambridge Boston Subtotal Total Saturday Mid-Week Place of Residence 99 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 14 16 12 42 16.7 19.0 14.3 50.0 10 16 15 41 12.8 20.5 19.2 52.5 24 32 27 83 14.8 19.7 16.7 51.2 3 4 4 4 2 4 1 22 3.5 4.8 4.8 4.8 2.3 4.8 1.2 26.2 2 1 4 1 1 4 4 17 2.6 1.3 5.1 1.3 1.3 5.1 5.1 21.8 5 5 8 5 3 8 5 39 3.1 3.1 4.9 3.1 1.9 4.9 3.1 24.1 1 2 1.2 2.3 -0-0- 0.0 0.0 1 2 0.6 1.2 Secondary Market Area Brookline Newton Watertown Belmont Arlington Somerville Medford Subtotal Balance of Metropolitan Area Everett Lexington Lincoln 1 1.2 -0- 0.0 1 0.6 Melrose Weston Quincy Cohasset 1 1 1 -0- 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.0 -0-0-01 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 1 1 1 1 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 Weymouth -0- 0.0 2 2.6 2 1.2 Randolph Subtotal Outside Metropolitan Area -07 13 0.0 8.3 15.5 2 5 15 2.6 6.5 19.2 2 12 28 1.2 7-3 17.3 Total 841) 100.0 781) 100.0 1621) 1) Does not include 5 respondents whose place of residence was not reported. NOTE: Percentages may not add precisely due to rounding. Source: Survey by Gladstone Associates. 100.0 ESTIMATE OF RETAIL SQUARE FOOTAGE HARVARD SQUARE AREA 100 SUMMER 1975 Retail Space Type of Retail Space Amount (S.F.) Percent Shoppers Goods1 ) 230,000 52.9 Convenience Goods?) 130,000 29.9 75,000 17.2 435,000 100.0 Miscellaneous3) Total 1) Includes general merchandise, apparel, furniture, book and stationery stores. 2) Includes food and drug and eating and drinking establishments. 3) Includes liquor, antique, sporting goods, jewelry, fuel and ice, florist, cigar, camera, gift and other miscellaneous stores. Source: Gladstone Associates and Charles G. Hilgenhurst Associates survey. 101 SUMMARY OF RETAIL SALES TRENDS BOSTON METROPOLITAN AREA 1963 - 1972 Average Annual Change 1967-1972 1963-1967 Percent 1963 1967 1972 Amount Percent Amount Shoppers Goods 2 )3 Convenience Goods ) $22,319 11,542 $35,662 14,049 $38,425 12,373 $3,336 627 14.9 5.4 $553 -335 1.5 -2.4 Eating and Drinking NA NA NA NA NA NA NA $107,959 94,937 39,800 $141,892 84,481 36,732 $134,213 95,510 47,137 $8,483 -1,364 -767 7.9 -1.4 1.9 -$1,535 1,206 2,081 -1.1 1.3 5.7 $912,963 801,732 333,639 $1,008,746 785,742 371,456 $879,194 771,060 391,731 $23,946 -3,997 9,454 2.6 -0.5 2.8 -$25,910 -2,936 4,055 -2.6 -0.4 1.1 $1,611,738 1,740.067 556,948 $2,004,532 1,780,931 648,068 $2,248,451 2,009,981 792,914 $98,198 10,216 22,892 6.1 0.6 4.1 $48,783 45,810 28,969 2.4 2.6 4.5 Harvard Squarel2 City of Cambridge Shoppers Goods Convenience Goods Eating and Drinking 4 Harvard Square Market Area ) Shoppers Goods Convenience Goods Eating and Drinking Boston Metropolitan Area Shoppers Goods Convenience Goods Eating and Drinking 1) Major Retail Center Number 2. apparel and furniture. 2) Includes book and stationery stores in MRC only, and general merchandise, 3) Includes eating and drinking in MRC only. Newton and Medford. 4) Includes Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, Somerville, Watertown, Arlington, Belmont, Source. U. S. Census of Retail Trade, Major Retail Centers; Office of Economic Development and Manpower; Gladstone Associates. ESTIMATED OFFICE SPACE CONSTRUCTION BY YEAR 102 CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, 1961 - 1975 Year Amount of Office Space Constructed (Gross Area in S.F.) 1961 36,000 1962 38,600 1963 351,500 1964 212,900 1965 12,500 1966 206,200 1967 50,400 1968 132,500 1969 125,000 1970 228,500 1971 91,500 1972 94,600 1973 27,200 1974 89,400 1975 119,000 Total 1,815,800 Annual Change 1961 - 1965 130,000 S.F. 1966- 1970 148,520 S.F. 1971 - 1975 84,340 S.F. 1961 - 1975 121,053 S.F. 1) Building permit data has been presented on the basis of either actual or expected year of completion. Source: City of Cambridge, Buildinq Department, Building Permit Data; Gladstone Associates. 103 RECENT OFFICE SPACE ABSORPTION LEVELS MAJOR OFFICE BUILDINGS CITY OF CAMBRIDGE 1972- 1975 Occupied Office Space (S.F.) Average Annual Change Percent 1972 1975 Amount 107,500 214,600 322, 100 145,200 254,600 399,800 12,567 13,333 25,900 381,800 447,200 829,000 460,600 26,267 457,000 917 ,600 3,266 29,533 6.9 0.7 3.6 489,300 661,800 1,151,100 605,800 711,600 1,317,400 38,833 16,600 55,433 7.9 2.5 4.8 Harvard Square Competitive Non-Competitive Total 11.7 6.2 8.0 Balance of the City Competitive Non-Competitive Total CtyTotal Competitive Non-Competitive Total Source: Gladstone Associates. OFFICE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS 104 HARVARD SQUARE AREA 1975- 1985 Annual Average Metropolitan Office Demand (S.F.) Share Accruing to nner Suburban Regionl I 1975- 1980 1980- 1985 1,740,000 1,650,000 10- 15% 10- 15% 174,000- 261,000 165,000- 247,000 8- 10 8- 10 13,900- 26,100 13,200- 24,750 10 Year Total 16,950,000 10- 15% Inner Suburban Development Potentials (S.F.) Percent Capture at Harvard Square Harvard Square Development Potentials (S.F.) 1) Within a 5-mile radius of Kenmore Square excluding downtown Boston. Source: Gladstone Associates. 1,695,000- 2,542,000 8- 10 135,600- 254,250 105 PRIMARY CAMBRIDGE CORE - __ buff dedhomiio quincy chse Westwood brainHree norw REAtLMndolph igo SQnghRE eymouth norh lbtoo Walpole norfolk honover nmrshfoeid hoo HARVARD SQUARE RESIDENTIAL MARKET AREA ebrk " AGGREGATE HOUSING DEMAND 106 HARVARD SQUARE MARKET AREA 1975- 1985 Annual Averae, 1975 - 1980 1 Net Change In Households Replacement Total 10 710 2,540 70 4,410 1,370 6,720 4,450 160 540 Secondary Market Area4) 2,150 Tertiary Market Area5) Metropolitan Total Primary Market Area3 Vacancy Adjustnent2) Annual Average, 1980- 1985 Net Change InHouseholds 1) Replacement 2) Total Adjustment' 20 1,100 540 540 4,760 3,000 2,540 100 5,640 150 5,930 4,420 1,370 160 5,950 230 11,400 7,960 4,450 280 12,690 1) Estimated conservatively at 0.5 percent of the 1970 year-round housing stock, thereby taking into account future losses to the housing stock due to demolition,;, conversions and mergers. 2) To insure adequate flexibility and functioning of the housing market, an adjustment of 3.5 percent of household change is added; this reflects an average tolerance of 5 percent vacancy in the rental market and 2.5 percent in the sales market. 3) Includes the following cities and towns: Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, Somerville and Watertown. 4) Includes the Boston-Brookline urban core and the north, northwest and western suburbs. 5) Includes the north shore, south shore and southwestern suburbs. Source: Gladstone Associates. HOUSING STOCK TRENDS 107 BOSTON METROPOLITAN AREA, 1960-1970 Year Round Housing Units 1960 Average Annual Change 1970 1960- 1970 Number Percent Number Percent 1,312 8,635 202 1,T4-9 12.9 85.1 2.0 16 .0 1,054 9,084 298 10,436 10.1 87.0 2.9 100. -26 45 10 29 -2.0 0.5 4.8 0.3 7,708 26,545 980 35,233 21.9 75.3 2.8 10 0 6,990 29,421 1,237 37,648 18.6 78.1 3.3 100.0 -72 288 26 242 -0.9 1.1 2.6 0.7 39,435 57,943 2,467 99,845 39.5 58.0 2.5 10.0 39,123 65,889 2,597 107,609 36.4 61.2 2.4 106. -31 795 13 777 -0.1 1.4 0.5 0.8 402,745 367,723 30,147 800,6675 50.3 45.9 3.8 16 0. 542,003 407,668 31,055 890,756 50.7 45.8 3.5 150.6 4,929 3,994 91 9,014 1.2 1.1 0.3 I~T Number Percent Harvard Square Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Vacant Total City of Cambridge Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Vacant Total 1 Cambridge Core Area ) Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Vacant Total Boston Metropolitan Area2 ) Owner Occupied Renter Occupied Vacant Total 1) Includes the following cities and towns: Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, Somerville and Watertown. 2) Includes Millis and Sherborn which were added to the Boston SMSA in 1963. Source: U. S. Census: Gladstone Associates. HOTEL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS 108 HARVARD SQUARE AREA 1975- 1985 Source of Demand Present under-supply of rooms in Cambridge assuming 70% occupancy as breakeven point Number of Rooms 50 Increase in visitor levels estimated at 4% of current demand annually Total Hotel Demand 270 320 Share Accruinq to Harvard Square Area 25 - 50% Harvard Square Development Potentials 80- 160 rooms Source: Gladstone Associates. 109 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Bruce Campbell & Associates HARVARD SQUARE TRAFFIC AND PARKING STUDY Bruce Campbell & Associates, Boston, 1962. 2. Cambridgeport Community Corporation CAMBRIDGE, HARVARD SQUARE AND THE KENNEDY MEMORIAL Cambridgeport Community Corporation, Cambridge, 1974. 3. Cambridge Historical Commission OLD CAMBRIDGE Cambridge Historical Commission, Cambridge, 1973. 4. Cambridge Planning Board HARVARD SQUARE PARKING STUDY Cambridge Planning Board, Cambridge, 1950. 5. Cambridge Redevelopment Authority HARVARD SQUARE, BLOCKS DEVELOPMENT PROFILES Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, Cambridge, 1968. 6. Gladstone Associates HARVARD SQUARE AREA ECONOMIC/MARKET ANALYSIS Gladstone Associates, Rhode Island, 1975. 7. Harvard Graduate School of Design NUTTING ROAD DEVELOPMENT Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, 1976. 8. Harvard Square Urban Ecology Study HARVARD SQUARE PLANNING WORKBOOK Harvard Square Urban Ecology Study, Cambridge, 1975. 110 9. Harvard Square Task Force THE HARVARD SQUARE COMPREHENSIVE POLICY PLAN PRELIMINARY DRAFT The Sub-Committee on Policy Planning of the Harvard Square Task Force, Cambridge, 1974. 10. HUGH STUBBINS AND ASSOCIATES, INC. SOUTHWEST SECTOR HARVARD SQUARE HUGH STUBBINS AND ASSOCIATES, INC., Cam- bridge, 1975. 11. Harvard University Planning Office LONG RANGE PLANNING INVENTORY, POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS, 1975 Harvard University Planning Office, Cambridge, 1975. 12. Harvard University Planning Office PROGRAM FOR JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT Harvard University Planning Office, Cambridge, 1976. 13. Monacelli Associates HARVARD SQUARE PALNNING AND DESIGN ANALYSIS Monacelli Associates, Cambridge, 1976. 14. Monacelli Associates HARVARD SQUARE COMPREHENSIVE POLICY PLAN Monacelli Associates, Cambridge, 1976. 15. Monacelli Associates INVESTIGATIONS IN URBAN DESIGN, HARVARD SQUARE Monacelli Associates, 16. Planning and Development Department, City of Cambridge Cambridge, 1974. STATUS OF HARVARD SQUARE PARKING PROGRAM Planning and Development Department, City of Cambridge, Sept. 1973. 111 17. Planning for People Committee HARVARD SQUARE FOR PEOPLE IMPROVEMENT PLAN Planning for People Committee, Cambridge, 1970. 18. Robert Gladstone and Associates HARVARD SQUARE, DEVELOPMENT IMPACT STUDY Robert Gladstone and Associates, ton, D. C., 1968. 19. Sverdrup and Parcel and Associates, Inc. Washin- RED LINE EXTENSION, HARVARD SQUARE EXTENSION TO ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, 1975 Sverdrup and Parcel and Assoicates, Inc., 1975. 20. Symmes, Mainie & McKee, Inc. PROPOSED UNDERGROUND GARAGE, CAMBRIDGE COMMON FEASIBILITY STUDY. Symmes, Mainie and McKee, Inc., 1972.