Despite preservationists' protests, Bank officials say the buildings must be razed because much of the plumbing and woodwork inside has deteriorated to the point that the buildings are now considered unsafe.

While acknowledging that the buildings are not in good shape, Winters said that he hoped, if the proposal is accepted, the new building would match the character of the Square.

"It is a shame that a old building which people are very familiar with gets replaced by something that is unacceptable...we hope that [the new building] will not be a detriment to the Square," says Winters.

But, he adds, because of the age of Harvard Square, residents of Cambridge will have to keep an "open mind" about other proposals which might change the look of the area.

"Walking through the Square, there is a sense of character and you don't want to see that destroyed," Winters says. "But the Harvard Square of 15 years ago, is not the Harvard Square of today. It can't be a 19th century rustic village, you have to be realistic."

The owners of the Sheraton Commander Hotel, Walter and Ed Gulesarian, want to tear down three 19th-century houses on Garden Street in order to make room for a parking garage.

The owners say that a parking lot is essential for their survival, because they are losing business to nearby hotels which have their own parking facilities.

Winters says he is sympathetic to the owners' concerns but adds that the decision to erect a parking garage in that area would be in "poor taste."

"Putting up a parking garage in this area graced by certain types of buildings would be extraordinarily poor judgment by the Sheraton owners," Winters says.

Although the election is only two weeks away, Winters says he is not planning on increasing his campaign schedule.

In a race, where he has "not spent a dime." Winters said he prefers in the coming two weeks to maintain his low profile, instead using the time to prepare for his students at Harvard.

And Winters says that if history repeats itself and he loses again, he will continue to be active in Cambridge politics.

"I do have to go to work and get lectures prepared," Winters said. "And the election is not the end all, be all of the process. My participation is satisfaction enough, I'm not going to lose sleep over it."