“I don’t want to sugarcoat what is going to be a very involved process, but I also don’t want anyone to forget the terrific opportunity ahead,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Faust told The Crimson that while the move might be difficult in the short term, its long-term effects are worth it.

“I think change is always challenging,” she said. “People feel, ‘Oh my gosh, my life has been one way, my life will be another way once this plan goes into effect.’ But we’re excited about it.”

In 2003, the University announced its intention to build a science center and undergraduate housing complex across the Charles River from Cambridge and relocate the School of Public Health and Graduate School of Education to Allston, but the economic crisis in 2008 halted construction.

Last October, Harvard submitted plans for the land to Boston City Hall that were much less ambitious and designed for a 10-year rather than 30 to 50-year time frame.

Though the post-recession science complex design is less expensive than its predecessor, Faust told The Crimson in July that it would be a priority for Harvard’s impending capital campaign.

On Tuesday, she said that continuing financial pressure prevents planning new development too far in advance,

“We want to think about programming in smaller chunks... and really drill down on those opportunities,” Faust said.

—Nicholas P. Fandos contributed to the reporting of this article.

—Staff writer Sabrina A. Mohamed can be reached at smohamed@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @sab_mohamed.

—Staff writer Samuel Y. Weinstock can be reached at sweinstock@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @syweinstock.