Mary H. Power, Harvard's director of community relations for Cambridge, acknowledged that zoning in the Mahoney site area is "idiosyncratic" and "inappropriate." But Power said the museum Harvard hopes to build will not be more than three stories tall.

Zoning issues quickly faded from the discussion as the meeting progressed, with residents and city councilors focusing on reasons they felt the already busy site was unsuitable for a Harvard museum.

"You can't park now, there are accidents every Friday and Saturday night-- we have to live there," said one resident.

Another neighbor who identified himself as a great fan of Harvard's museums said he nevertheless believed a museum should not be built in the area.

"Presently, Mahoney's lets us feel a connection with the river. There's nothing there except plants and flowers--this is a people space," he said.

According to Cabot Director of the Harvard University Art Museums James B. Cuno, there is no certainty that the museum will rise at all. Besides the difficulty of gaining community approval, Cuno cited monetary issues and internal Harvard approval as possible impediments to construction.

A number of city members complained, though, that Harvard consistently reaches out to the community too late in the process. City Councilor Marjorie C. Decker said she is skeptical of Harvard's level of uncertainty about the project.