Divinity School Dean William A. Graham, a member of the MPAC, said that planners had agreed that if any University facilities in Allston had to be relocated, the replacement facilities would offer additional advantages to the moving constituency.

“Our principle is that everything should not only be replaced but enhanced,” he said. “Any displacement of any buildings should involve a rebuilding of those same buildings that actually provided at least as good or better facilities and access.”

THE WINDING AND LONG ROAD

Several members of the MPAC contacted for this article cautioned that not only the site, but even the presence of undergraduates in Allston is still up in the air.

“As far as I know, the planners and the University have not made a decision that there will be undergraduate housing in Allston and have not made a decision about where it will go if there is,” said Harvard Design School Dean Alan A. Altshuler, who is also on the MPAC.

Nevertheless, undergraduate Houses have served as the anchor for the University’s Allston plans, which were first made public in an October 2003 letter to the community from University President Lawrence H. Summers. The Allston undergraduate life task force—one of four task forces formed by Summers last year to flesh out a more concrete vision for Allston—embraced undergraduate houses in Allston, recommending that Harvard relocate Quad houses to Allston and potentially construct new Houses as well.

“We were unanimous [that one of the] basic principles is that the way you make Allston integral to a new Harvard would be to have an undergraduate presence there,” said Graham, who co-chaired the task force with Scalise. “Without [it], Allston is being set up to be a satellite.”

“The task force got very excited about the idea,” Provost Steven E. Hyman told The Crimson last April. “Undergraduates kind of give life to everything.”

The Task Force report stated that “Houses could theoretically be built in several locations in Allston (along the river, along Western Avenue, along North Harvard St.).”

Matthew W. Mahan ’05, the former president of the Undergraduate Council who served on the task force, said that the possible sites on North Harvard Street included Ohiri Field and the McCurdy Track.

Daniel Lieberman, a professor of anthropology who served on the task force, said that the committee did not analyze specific sites.

“The committee was looking at general ideas,” he said. “Most people thought that the ultimate solution was to put [new Houses] along the river. Where along the river exactly—we did not deal with that.”

Mahan said that since proximity to the rest of the campus was key, the committee had agreed that a site on the river was essential.

“The ideal location would include taking over a couple of front buildings of the business school,” he said. “The next best spot is where the playing fields are [on the river].”

The planning and design firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners was hired last June to develop a master plan based on the recommendations from the faculty task forces. In October, the MPAC was formed to review the planning firm’s work, including the proposals for undergraduate housing.