Univ. Wants Apartment at Stillman Site

The Corporation has decided to sell the Stillman Infirmary plot to the highest bidder but is imposing a condition on the sale which will virtually force the construction of a new apartment building on the land.

L. Gard Wiggins, Administrative vice President, said last night the University will require that the land develop revenue for the City through real estate taxes. He said that putting a high-rise apartment on the plot would be "ideal" for this purpose.

The University has already received four or five serious inquiries from firms willing to meet this condition.

High Rentals Possible

Wiggins pointed out that the land would prove desirable to apartment speculators, since it fronts on the river and could therefore command a high rental rate. He said no plans had been made to try to keep this rate at a level appealing to Harvard graduate students or junior Faculty members.

One half of the plot lies under a zoning classification which limits building height to 35 feet, but there is no restriction on the rest of the land. Under these circumstances, any new apartment would be able to include about 30 d welling units.

Charles P. Whitlock, Assistant to the President for Civic Affairs, pointed out last night that the present building is not adaptable to any purpose other than hospital work and so will certainly be demolished regardless of the final disposition of the land. The Massachusetts Mental Health Association has approached the University for the site and existing building, but this use of the land would not give the city any revenue whatsoever and is thus extremely unlikely.

The Cambridge Housing Authority has also indicated its interest in the building, for an old age home. This organization would have to pay the City a standard fee in substitute for the regular taxes, which would be much larger.