Traffic, noise, privacy, the destruction of trees, and the obstruction of light top the list. And they remain suspicious of Harvard’s motives when dealing with residents.

Residents who have followed negotiations with Harvard through the years say the University consistently arrives late to meetings and withholds information until the last minute, making it more difficult for the neighborhood to respond effectively to their plans.

“The fundamental problem is that, in spite of mouthing pleasant words, Harvard real estate has never wanted to come to the table as an equal partner with residents,” says Peter Kemble, who lives near Mather House and graduated from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1967. “The premise has always been, ‘It’s Harvard’s land, we’ll do whatever we want and to hell with you.’”

But Power emphasizes that Harvard has acted in good faith during the process, offering benefits targeted to residents’ concerns about preserving affordable housing and open space.

“While it was a very long process and there was a tremendous amount of tension, the city and Harvard came together around this agreement,” she says.

And Paul Grogan, who served as Harvard’s former vice president for Government, Community, and Public Affairs from 1998 to 2001, says he believes Harvard has made a greater effort under University President Lawrence H. Summers to be responsive to community needs.

“I just don’t think you can make the case that the university is running rampant over the interests of the neighborhoods,” Grogan says.

As Hill’s appeal of the Memorial Drive construction works its way through the court system, Harvard officials will continue to meet with residents and city politicians to iron out the disagreements in Kerry Corner. Construction there is still set to begin this spring.

“The dialogue will continue right on until the project’s completion,” says Thomas J. Lucey, Harvard’s director of community relations for Cambridge.

While expansion pits the University’s past against its future, continuing negotiations with residents about the implementation of the agreement offer the University a chance to recast its image.

“This is the test for this generation of Cambridge Riverside development,” says Adkins.

—Joseph M. Tartakoff contributed to the reporting of this story.

—Staff writer Natalie I. Sherman can be reached at nsherman@fas.harvard.edu.