Issac R.S. Hodes '99, who lives in CentralSquare, also stressed the national context of therally.
"It's part of a larger issue about communitycontrol of community resources," he said.
He recalled a similar issue in his home town ofLynn, Mass., where the only local hospital wasknocked down to build a grocery store. "It raisesa lot of similar issues to me," he said.
Other Central Square residents cited similarreasons for attending the rally.
Katt Hernandez, who has been involved with SaveCentral Square, moved to Cambridge from Ann Arbor,Mich., where a similar disagreement came to "atragic conclusion." She said, Central Square"reminded me of what Ann Arbor used to be like...Idon't feel a desire to lose a home twice."
Jeff Duritz, a member of the Local FlavorLeague, said Home Reality Trust is typical ofother developers in the area: "very slick and verysubtle."
Specifically referring to Harvard and MIT,Duritz said they "have an unfair advantage" indevelopment.
"They're buying up properties, and they don'teven pay taxes," he said, referring to theinstitutions' property tax-exempt status underMassachusetts law.
The rally began at Central Square Plaza withseveral speakers. The demonstrators then movednext door to a church for music and food and thento the senior center where the Cambridge PlanningBoard was meeting to discuss Home Reality Trust'sspecial permits request.
According to Bekken, the request before theboard was filed by the Trust in order to expandits planned building beyond the limited height anddensity specifications for the site. If thespecial permits are granted, the Trust will stillneed to obtain a waiver from the Zoning Board.
Bekken said the protesters were pushing thePlanning Board for an extension of the request "toallow full community participation and fullconsideration" of the permits.
The Board adjourned late last night withoutreaching a decision. It will reconsider the issueat a March 17 meeting.
Protesters have circulated petitions in supportof their cause throughout the city.
According to Williamson, more than 3,000Cambridge residents have signed the Save CentralSquare petition, while only 105 signed thepetition opposing Home Reality Trust.
According to Greenwood, 135 Harvard studentssigned petitions supporting the rally'sobjectives.
While soliciting student signatures outside theScience Center, she said, she discovered "lots ofscary opinions on campus" regarding the CentralSquare building campaign