Vellucci Bids Council Look At Area Plan

Councillor Alfred E. Vellucci urged the City Council Monday to consider the effects on the Harvard Square area of naming certain portions of the City "historic areas."

The Council is trying to decide whether to establish a commission to preserve the Colonial atmosphere of some Cambridge neighborhoods, including Appian Way, where the University plans to construct an unorthodox seven-story building as headquarters for the School of Education.

The building, which resembles a castle, has drawn heavy fire from the Council, with one councillor describing it as "a war-time concrete bunker." Although the proposed commission would have control over new construction on Appian Way, it would probably not try to bar the castle, which has already been approved by the Cambridge planning board.

Suggests Inviting Whitlock

Vellucci suggested that the Council invite Charles P. Whitlock, assistant to the president for civic affairs, to appear next Monday before the City's committee on ordinances to discuss the historic-areas proposal. No action was taken on inviting Whitlock, however.

In other business, the Council passed a motion asking Harvard to clean away debris around the Charles River site of the married-student dorms, currently under construction. Councillor Bernard Goldberg, cosponsor of the order, charged that the University had violated an agreement to keep the debris under control.

The Council also heard a letter from Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. '38, replying to a suggestion that President Kennedy choose a lot on Irving St. as the site for his memorial library. Schlesinger thanked the Council for their interest, but said the President had not yet made his decision.

The President himself is thought to favor a site next to the Business School and across the river from Dunster House. Newspaper reports have said that he will make his decision in the immediate future.