Paden says the Square has a variety of buildingstyles but declines to comment on the exact stylethat the Board tries to maintain in the Square.

The Board will review the most recent changesto the Holmes plans in early March. Rafferty saysHolmes has done its best to comply with theinstructions of the Board. Holmes has furtherreduced the number of stories of the portion ofthe complex bordering Baron Plaza from seven totwo and eliminated the courtyard.

"Based upon the feedback that we had on Feb. 3,we hope that we've got a design that will bedeemed acceptable by the Board," Rafferty says."We're optimistic."

Cantabrigians express similar concerns aboutthe changing face of Central Square, citing therecent renovations to old facades and the invasionof new stores and restaurants such as Starbucks.

But many residents take the issue further,claiming that the higher rents demanded by thesenew complexes will drive poor residents from theneighborhood and rob the Square of its uniquediversity.

"Landlords, developers and speculators havebeen renovating places and raising rents. Lots ofpoor people have been driven out of Cambridge,"says George Salzman, a member of Save CentralSquare, a group of concerned citizens trying to"stop the demolition and save the small stores."

"That will change the demographics of thecity," Salzman says.

Salzman says Holmes's motives are purelyeconomic. He says the developers fail to considerthe fate of the small stores and residents of theSquare.

Holmes's renovation follows the current ofeconomic change in the Square, according to Pratt."The space is underutilized at the moment," Prattsays. "We have been supporting tenants by chargingunder market rents to help them along."

Pratt adds that the tenant's leases containedclauses stating that the buildings could bedemolished at some point. Some store owners,although worried about their impending moves,acquiesce to what they view as part of the lifecycle of any business.

"Change is inevitable. It's time for a100-year-old store to be replaced by others," saysa spokesperson for Surman's who wished not to benamed. Surman's a men's clothing store, has beenin the Square for 90 years but will be moving outon Feb. 28.

Currently, Surman's has no plans to relocate."People learn to deal with situations as theyevolve. Emotion has nothing to do with soundbusiness," the Surman's employee says amid stacksof brown boxes and clearance items.

But others feel that the development willbreathe new life into the Square.

The Central Square Business Association (CSBA)is "very much in favor of it. We think it will behelpful to the Square," says Arnold B. Goldstein,vice president of the CSBA. "The purpose of theHolmes plan is to bring a mix of use [bothresidential and commercial] to the Square."

Goldstein contends that the apartments in thebuilding will attract different types of people tothe Square and promote business.