But while Hemenway has become less and less usable, a growing College has been forced to squeeze itself into cramped quarters.

The number of student groups has almost tripled from 90 in 1980 to 241 two years ago, according to a recent Dean of Students' office report.

As a result, student groups are squashed in the basements of Thayer and Holworthy Halls, while other groups are relegated to keeping their materials in Loker Commons lockers.

But Zewinski still says FAS has chosen not to develop the space because there has been no pressing need.

"If a pressing academic priority arose, we might consider converting Hemenway into something different," Zewinski says. "There wasn't any high priority need to invest in Hemenway."

And Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles says the number of ongoing renovation projects has made it difficult to embark on new initiatives.

"There's a limit on how many projects we can manage at once! For classrooms, we've just finished a major renovation of Harvard Hall and Holden Chapel, and Lowell wasn't so long ago," Knowles writes in an e-mail message.

He says he is still well aware of space shortages--and the value of Hemenway as a nearby FAS property.