"Property owners have gotten a good deal out of the conservation district because it preserved their [zoning]," Kramer says.

For preservationists, little was lost in the move from a historic to a conservation district.

"The Conservation District has all the protections of a historic district," says Sullivan. "For all practical purposes they're the same."

The Resolution

The stated the goal of the Harvard Square Conservation District is "preserving and protecting the remaining historical buildings in Harvard Square while encouraging the architectural diversity that characterizes the area."

Its boundaries extend from the intersection of Mass. Avenue and Mt. Auburn Street on the east to Church Street on the west, containing the rapidly-evolving commercial sector of Harvard Square.

"There really needs to be some historic preservation interests represented in any changes to Harvard Square," says Frank S. Kramer, owner of the Harvard Book Store.

Historic preservation interests in the past have mostly been organized ad hoc as individual developments were proposed. For citizens groups, the conservation district designation provides some measure of formal support for their efforts.