Over 91-Acre Allston Purchase, a Fresh Political Maelstrom

When harvard purchased land from the Massachusetts without spending taxpayer money. He pointed out that even if Turnpike Authority (MTA) in 2000, it was an historic moment: Harvard bought the land and the permanent easements, the for the first time, the University owned more land in Boston state transportation secretary retains the right to approve any than in Cambridge. Harvard paid $151,751,636 then (see “All- development a≠ecting railyards and could also require Harvard ston Expansion,” September-October 2000, page 74) for 48 to accommodate mass-transit needs. At the same time, re- acres. Now Harvard has acquired an adjacent parcel of 91 acres ported the Boston Herald, the turnpike authority produced a let- for $75 million, bringing the University’s total Allston holdings ter saying that Harvard was “fully prepared to include terms to 341 acres versus just 219 in Cambridge. The much lower price and conditions necessary to facilitate the continuation of com- paid for the most recent acquisition from the MTA—about muter rail and freight services to ‘run with the land’ should one-fourth as much per acre—reflects not only a much cooler there ever be a cessation of the [rail] easement.” Eventually, real-estate market though over the objec- but also the heavily tions of an irritated encumbered nature of Boston mayor Thomas the property, which is Menino, a deal was split by the turnpike struck at the end of itself and by great May. The MBTA got swaths of railway line, what it wanted, pay- both with permanent ing the MTA and Har- easements. vard $1 each for future Within days of easements and a lay- Harvard’s high bid on over facility. What March 31, state and wasn’t clear was what local o∞cials, includ- was in it for Harvard, ing the chairman of which has now spent the MBTA (the public nearly a quarter-bil- transit authority), the lion dollars on former chairman of the Mass- MTA property in All- achusetts Port Au- ston. The Harvard Crim- thority, and the state son raised that ques- secretaries of develop- tion in its own report ment and of trans- on the deal. portation, asked that “Great institutions the sale be delayed. grow over time, and The property has the with a vision of con- potential to accom- tinuing their excel- modate a rail link to lence over hundreds of the port of Boston, years,” says Harvard’s and includes the turnpike’s Allston/Brighton interchange, as vice president for government, community, and public a≠airs, well as the largest facility for the transfer of freight between Alan Stone. “It is very rare that public land comes up for auc- rail and trucks in the city. The MBTA revealed that it had tion, and even more rare that it is contiguous to your own hoped someday to build a layover facility for commuter-rail land—to the campus. In this context, how can you not buy it?” trains on part of the property. The University says that it has no development plans for the The turnpike authority sought to reassure other state and land at the moment. The parcel is strategically important, local agencies that the public interest would be protected however. The Boston Globe reported that one of the easements under the terms of the agreement, and vowed to go ahead with granted to the MBTA “would allow a second main-line track the sale. But the MBTA, although nearly bankrupt, responded through the property, a move that could bring a new com- on May 2 with a plan to take part of the land by eminent do- muter rail stop to Harvard’s doorstep.” And the paper re- main for just over $33.25 million, setting the stage for an im- ported that the deal also gives Harvard the right to move the probable legal battle between two independent state authori- turnpike and reconfigure the busy Allston toll interchange. ties, both with land-taking powers. Then state senator Jarrett Harvard o∞cials have previously stressed the importance of T. Barrios ’90 intervened. An outspoken critic of planned developing an adequate transportation infrastructure for any MBTA fare hikes, he demanded that the situation be resolved future Allston campus.

Map by Maureen Blaufuss Harvard Magazine 67