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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, February 1978-October 1982

ARCH.2003.37, Rendition: 808757

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The image is a scanned copy of a newspaper article titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan" from the "Harvard Crimson" dated October 2, 1980. The article discusses the Cambridge Historical Commission's decision to consider allowing Harvard University to demolish two historic houses at 1746 and 1750 Cambridge Street to make room for the Fogg Museum’s planned addition.

Key points in the article include:

  • The Fogg Museum is in need of additional space, as their current facilities are outdated and costly to maintain.
  • The houses, built in 1887 and 1888, are deemed historically significant and are over 50 years old, requiring the University to obtain approval from the Historical Commission before demolition.
  • If the demolition is approved, it will require a delay of at least six months to obtain necessary permits.
  • The Fogg Museum plans to raise additional funds to cover the cost of the new building, estimated to be around $5 million.
  • The houses are described as examples of a "Queen Anne styled Mansard House," which makes them unique in the area.

The article also mentions the potential for public pressure to be applied to Harvard if the demolition is approved, as the university has not been cooperative in preserving the historic structures.

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This image is a photograph of a newspaper page from "The Harvard Crimson," dated October 2, 1980. The headline reads, "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan" with the subheading "Fogg Wants to Raze Houses to Build Addition." The article discusses the Cambridge Historical Commission's decision to consider allowing Harvard University to demolish two houses on Cambridge Street to make room for an addition to the Fogg Museum.

Key points in the article include:

  • The Cambridge Historical Commission will consider allowing the demolition of two houses that are over 50 years old.
  • Charles Sullivan, the executive director of the Commission, argues that the houses are historically significant and the University's request should be denied.
  • The University needs the site for a "staging area" for construction work on a 60,000 square foot building.
  • The proposed new building will cost more than $5 million, with a significant portion of the funds coming from a gift from Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.
  • The article mentions the historical significance of the two houses, which were built in 1887 and 1888 by architect James Fogarty.
  • The continuation of the article is indicated at the bottom right corner.

The page is partially folded, obscuring part of the text, and there is a large blank space in the middle, possibly where an image or advertisement was supposed to be. The overall condition of the page suggests it is a physical copy of the newspaper.

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The image is a scanned newspaper clipping from the "Harvard Crimson," dated October 2, 1980. The clipping is from the "New England" section and contains an article titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan." The article is about a controversy surrounding Harvard University's proposal to demolish two historic houses on Cambridge Street to make way for a new Fogg Museum addition.

The article reports that the Cambridge Historical Commission is considering Harvard's request to demolish the two houses, which are over 50 years old. Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Commission, argues that the board should deny the University's request because the buildings are historically significant. He plans to submit working drawings to the Corporation by March, with assistance from Suzanne J. Doeringer, assistant to the director of the Fogg.

Harvard needs the site of the two houses as a "staging area" for construction work on the 50,000 square foot building, scheduled to be completed by next spring, according to Richard G. Leahy, associate dean of the Faculty for resources and planning. The University could proceed with the construction without the two buildings, but it would complicate the process.

The article also mentions that the buildings, constructed in 1877 and 1888 by architect James Fogarty, are "an example of a Queen Anne styled Mansard House," unlike any other in the area, according to Sullivan. If the commission agrees with Sullivan's assessment that the buildings are historically valuable, it will try to work with the owner to preserve the structure.

Harvard Artifacts has shown no willingness to work with the University, according to Sullivan, who finds it "ironic" that the Fogg—a repository of cultural artifacts—is about to destroy a building that is also a cultural artifact. If the six-month delay is granted, Sullivan says he would try to bring public pressure on the University to save the buildings.

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The image is a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson dated October 2, 1980. The headline reads "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan." The article discusses Harvard University's proposal to demolish two historic houses on Cambridge Street to make room for an addition to the Fogg Museum. The Cambridge Historical Commission is considering allowing Harvard to demolish the houses, which were built in 1746 and 1750. The article mentions that Harvard needs the site for a "staging area" for construction work on a 60,000 square foot building scheduled to begin next spring. The article also notes that Harvard has received a $5 million gift from New York millionaire Dr. Arthur M. Sackler to finance most of the construction and operation of the new building. The article quotes Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, who argues that the board should deny the University's requests because the buildings are historically significant.

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Description of the Image:

The image is a scanned page from the Harvard Crimson, a student newspaper, dated October 2, 1980, from Cambridge, MA. The page features an article titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan", with a subheading: "Fogg Wants to Raze Houses to Build Addition." The article discusses a controversial plan by Harvard University to demolish two historic houses on Cambridge Street to make way for an addition to the Fogg Art Museum.

Key Details from the Article:

  1. Context and Main Issue:

    • The Cambridge Historical Commission is set to consider Harvard's request to demolish two historic houses on Cambridge Street.
    • These houses, built in 1746 and 1750, are over 50 years old and are considered historically significant.
    • Harvard seeks to remove them to create space for a new addition to the Fogg Art Museum, which requires a 60,000-square-foot building.
  2. Harvard's Position:

    • Harvard argues that the demolition is necessary to proceed with construction, which is scheduled for next spring.
    • The university has received a $5 million gift from New York millionaire Dr. Arthur M. Sackler to finance the project.
    • Harvard believes the new addition is essential for the museum's operations and expansion.
  3. Historical Commission's Stance:

    • Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, plans to argue against the demolition, stating that the houses are historically valuable.
    • If the commission denies the demolition permit, Harvard would have to wait at least six months before proceeding, potentially delaying the project significantly.
  4. Architectural and Financial Details:

    • The architects have completed the design development stage and will submit working drawings to the Corporation for the Fogg by March.
    • The Fogg still needs to raise additional funds to cover the construction and operation costs of the new building.
  5. Public and Cultural Concerns:

    • Sullivan highlights the irony of Harvard, a repository of cultural artifacts, planning to destroy a historic building that is itself a cultural artifact.
    • He expresses hope to work with the building’s owner to preserve the structure and suggests using publicity to generate public pressure to save the buildings.
  6. Additional Demolition Plans:

    • The article also mentions Harvard's plan to demolish the Alston Burr Lecture Hall to make room for a new museum wing. This demolition is necessary to allow easy access to the construction site.
    • If the historic houses are not torn down, Harvard claims there would be no way to park a crane without moving equipment onto a sidewalk.

Visual Layout:

  • The article is formatted in a typical newspaper style, with a clear headline, subheading, and body text divided into paragraphs.
  • The page includes a small illustration or photograph of the Fogg Art Museum (labeled "Fogg") in the lower right corner, which appears to be a continuation from a previous page.
  • The article is signed at the bottom by R.O.B. and W.E.M., likely the authors or reporters.

Overall Tone:

The article presents a balanced view of the conflict, highlighting both Harvard's need for expansion and the historical significance of the buildings. It underscores the tension between development and preservation, reflecting broader debates about urban planning and heritage conservation.

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The image presents a newspaper clipping from October 2, 1980, featuring an article titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan" with the subtitle "Fogg Wants to Raze Houses to Build Addition." The article discusses the Cambridge Historical Commission's consideration of demolishing two Cambridge Street houses to make room for the Fogg Museum's planned addition. It highlights the commission's concerns about the historical significance of the buildings and the potential impact on the neighborhood.

  • Newspaper Clipping
    • Date: October 2, 1980
    • Source: Harvard Crimson
    • Location: Cambridge, MA
  • Article Title and Subtitle
    • Title: City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan
    • Subtitle: Fogg Wants to Raze Houses to Build Addition
  • Content
    • The Cambridge Historical Commission is considering demolishing two Cambridge Street houses to make room for the Fogg Museum's planned addition.
    • The commission is concerned about the historical significance of the buildings and the potential impact on the neighborhood.
    • The article mentions that the Fogg Museum wants to build an addition to its existing building, which would require the demolition of two houses on Cambridge Street.
    • The commission is reviewing the proposal and considering the potential impact on the neighborhood.
  • Additional Information
    • The article includes a quote from Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, who expresses concerns about the demolition.
    • The article also mentions that the Fogg Museum has a $5 million gift from New York millionaire Dr. Arthur M. Sackler to support the project.

In summary, the image shows a newspaper clipping from October 2, 1980, discussing the Cambridge Historical Commission's consideration of demolishing two Cambridge Street houses to make room for the Fogg Museum's planned addition. The commission is concerned about the historical significance of the buildings and the potential impact on the neighborhood.

Meta, us.meta.llama3-2-90b-instruct-v1:0

The image depicts a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 2, 1980. The article is titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan" and discusses the proposed demolition of two Cambridge Street houses to make room for the Fogg Museum's planned addition.

Key Points:

  • The Cambridge Historical Commission will consider allowing Harvard to demolish two Cambridge Street houses.
  • The Fogg Museum's planned addition requires the demolition of these houses.
  • The building's architects have completed the design development stage of the project and will submit working drawings to the Corporation by March.
  • A $5 million gift from New York millionaire Dr. Arthur M. Sackler will finance most of the construction and operation of the new building.
  • The two homes, 1746 and 1750 Cambridge St., were built by architect James Fogarty in 1887 and 1888.
  • The home at 1746 Cambridge St. is "an example of a Queen Anne styled Mansard House," unlike any other in the area, Sullivan said.
  • If the commission agrees with Sullivan's assessment that the buildings are historically valuable, it will "try to work with the owner in hopes of preserving the structure," Sullivan said.

Additional Information:

  • The article mentions that the University would go ahead with the construction with the two buildings in place, but it would make construction "far more expensive."
  • The article also notes that the University's assistant to the director of the Fogg, Lewis A. Armistead, said that the University would try to bring public pressure on the University to save the buildings.

Overall, the article provides information about the proposed demolition of two Cambridge Street houses and the potential impact on the Fogg Museum's planned addition. It also highlights the historical significance of the buildings and the efforts to preserve them.

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The image depicts a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 2, 1980, with the headline "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan." The article discusses Harvard University's plan to demolish two historic houses on Cambridge Street to make way for an addition to the Fogg Museum.

The clipping is torn and appears to be a photocopy or scan of the original article, with a gray background that suggests it may be a digital representation of a physical document. The text is clear and legible, providing details about the proposed demolition and the concerns raised by the Cambridge Historical Commission.

Overall, the image presents a historical snapshot of a significant event in Harvard University's history, highlighting the tensions between preservation and development.

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The image presents a scanned newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 2, 1980. The article's headline reads, "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan."

Newspaper Clipping Details:

  • Date: October 2, 1980
  • Newspaper: Harvard Crimson
  • Location: Cambridge, MA
  • Headline: "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan"
  • Subheading: "Fogg Wants to Raze Houses to Build Addition"

Article Summary:

The article discusses Harvard University's plan to demolish two historic houses at 1746 and 1750 Cambridge St. to make way for an addition to the Fogg Museum. The Cambridge Historical Commission is reviewing the plan and has expressed concerns about the demolition of the historically significant buildings.

Key Points:

  • The two houses, built in 1746 and 1750, are considered historically valuable and are examples of Queen Anne-style Mansard Houses.
  • The Cambridge Historical Commission is considering allowing Harvard to demolish the houses to make room for the Fogg Museum's planned addition.
  • The University needs the site of the two houses as a "staging area" for construction work on the 60,000 square foot building.
  • A $5 million gift from New York millionaire Dr. Arthur M. Sackler will support the construction.

Context:

The article provides context about the controversy surrounding Harvard University's plans to demolish historic buildings to make way for a new addition to the Fogg Museum. The Cambridge Historical Commission's review of the plan highlights the tension between preserving historic buildings and allowing for development and growth.

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The image is a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 2, 1980. The article is titled "City Reviews Harvard Demolition Plan" and discusses Harvard University's proposal to demolish two historically significant houses on Cambridge Street to make way for an addition to the Fogg Museum.

Key points from the article include:

  1. Demolition Plan: Harvard plans to demolish two houses, built in 1746 and 1750, to create a staging area for the construction of a 60,000 square foot addition to the Fogg Museum.

  2. Historical Significance: The Cambridge Historical Commission is considering the University's request. Charles Sullivan, the executive director of the Commission, argues that the houses are historically significant and should be preserved.

  3. Construction Needs: Harvard representatives, including Richard G. Leahy, argue that demolishing the houses is necessary for efficient construction, as it would provide a staging area and facilitate the movement of construction equipment.

  4. Financial Considerations: The Fogg Museum has limited funds and relies on donations, such as a $5 million gift from Dr. Arthur M. Sackler. The University aims to finance most of the construction and operation of the new building but still needs additional funds.

  5. Public Pressure: If the Commission delays the demolition, Sullivan plans to use public pressure to encourage Harvard to preserve the buildings.

  6. Artifacts: Sullivan notes that Harvard has been cooperative with preserving cultural artifacts from the Fogg Museum but questions the destruction of buildings that are also cultural artifacts.

The article highlights the tension between historical preservation and the practical needs of construction and expansion.