“The crisis, as difficult as it was, provided us an opportunity to pause once we had the foundation finished and to rethink the planning,” said Harvard Executive Vice President Katie N. Lapp. “The [Innovation Lab] was something that came out of that self-reflection—that was never something that was in anybody’s plan, and it’s a huge success.”

What kind of science facility the University will construct in place of the Allston Science Complex remains unclear. Previously slated to consolidate stem cell laboratories from around the city, the building could now house a wide range of academic disciplines, from bioengineering to public health, according to administrators.

“There are lots of ideas that could be or are being discussed,” said G. Timothy Bowman, executive dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “I can say certainly from a SEAS perspective no decisions have been made.”

Even stem cell laboratories are not completely off the table, although many faculty in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology department have said they do not feel the need to move given the recent renovation of the Sherman Fairchild building, which exclusively houses SCRB.

The University also plans to actively recruit businesses and companies that complement the disciplines that move across the Charles River—a strategy known as co-development.

Fostering community across the River, Harvard administrators said, is as important as establishing an academic presence there.

“Allston’s growing academic community will both benefit from and contribute to the neighborhood, promoting activity in the area and attracting new businesses and industries to Allston and Greater Boston,” Garber said.

NEW PROCESS

Harvard has resumed planning in what administrators have touted as a “revolutionary” open process, in which Harvard actively solicits feedback from the Allston community on their hopes and concerns regarding development.

This is a departure from Harvard’s last go at development, during which the University did not regularly engage Allston residents in open dialogue. Since January, University officials have presented ideas and solicited feedback from the Harvard-Allston Task Force—a group of Allston residents representing the community—at biweekly meetings.

Residents have played an active role in helping to establish criteria for the selection of a third-party real-estate development partner for the Barry’s Corner Retail and Housing Commons. Additionally, two Task Force members are serving on the University’s internal selection committee for that development partner.

“Barry’s Corner is an example of unique transparency,” said Kevin Casey, Harvard vice president for communications and public affairs. “We’ve never before included community members in an internal selection process.”

Yet despite the University’s celebration of this open process, many Allston residents have expressed doubt over whether Harvard is as receptive to public opinion as administrators suggest.

“Not that much has happened in the public eye, but I have a sense that a great deal is happening outside of the sight of the community,” said Task Force member Brent C. Whelan ’73. “The plan reflects 100 percent of what people on the inside of Harvard see as advantageous, what they would feel is best for the University. Resident input makes up about zero percent.”

“They know what we’re thinking, but we don’t know what they’re thinking,” said Task Force Chair Ray V. Mellone.