A new undergraduate housing complex near the Square?

Although University officials say that there are no immediate plans for such construction, they also say that new housing is a future possibility.

And a stretch of Harvard-owned property along South Street--across from the Kirkland House annex--would be a likely candidate if the College decides to construct new housing.

Many of the properties on South St. will become vacant in the next few years as current construction projects--the Barker Center for the Humanities, renovations of Boylston Hall and the new athletic complex in Allston--are completed.

And the Harvard Advocate's expected lease agreement with the University seems to leave the literary magazine's future on South Street in question enough that the Advocate's trustees have reportedly begun to look for a new home for the publication.

Housing Construction?

"Housing is one of the possibilities" for the South Street properties, said Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III in an interview yesterday. But Epps cautioned that such a notion is "just a hypothetical."

According to Advocate Publisher Charles C. Savage '98, Epps recently told him the College might use the land to build a new undergraduate House.

But in yesterday's interview, Epps said he believes that there would not be enough space on the block for a full House.

"I don't think you have enough space to build a new House," he said. "If you wanted, you could build something along the lines of [the upperclass housing on] DeWolfe Street."

Thomas A. Dingman '67, associate dean for human resources and the House system, said the College does not plan to add students to future incoming classes and any additional housing construction would be to "decrowd" students.

"Students report that they wish they had more privacy, more space," Dingman said.

Dingman also added that he is "doubtful" if "the College could make [housing construction] a high priority given the cost."

Dingman and Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 echoed Epps' remark that there are no formal plans for new housing construction.

"There has not been a lot of talk about it at all," Dingman said.