But representatives of HPRE said that the Botanic Gardens site was the only possible location for the child care center.

"I was a little surprised that this was so negatively received," Keller said, citing HPRE's successful integration of child care and housing facilities at Peabody Terrace, DeWolfe Street Housing and at Soldiers' Field Park.

Besides the opposition that HPRE is facing from residents, problems have also arisen because the current plans do not conform to Cambridge zoning laws. HPRE will appear before the city Board of Zoning Appeal on November 20 to seek several zoning variances.

The current plans do not allow the required front and side yard setback and the between-building setback, and they exceed the per-lot building density.

Residents said they were hopeful that the board of zoning appeal would not approve the plans, but architect Miguel Marquez-Ibanez said that the request for variances is not out of the ordinary.

"There's probably no lot in Cambridge that wouldn't need one of these variances," he said.

Keller declined to predict the outcome of the zoning meeting