Cambridge City Council Approves Coop Bridge

After nearly two hours of heated debate Monday, the Cambridge City Council voted 8-1 to permit the Harvard Cooperative Society to build a two story bridge over Palmer St., linking the Coop's new textbook annex to its main building.

At the meeting, City Councillor Thomas Coates angrily questioned Coop attorney Philip M. Cronin '53 and implied that Cronin had improperly tried to influence Coates' vote.

Opponents of the bridge, led by Sheldon Dietz '41, part-owner of a building on Palmer St., asked the Council not to act on the petition until a court appeal alleging that the Coop's annex violates Cambridge's zoning laws is resolved.

Dietz, who filed the appeal, claims that the bridge, will detract from the street's appearance by blocking air and light. Visibly angry at Monday's meeting, Dietz said, "I will not give up the fight until I think some right is done."

Councillor Coates also appeared angry as he questioned Cronin. Coates said that during a phone call Monday morning, Cronin had mentioned that the John Hancock Life Insurance Co., Coates' employer, was a major financing agent of the annex.

Cronin told the Council that he was only trying to be helpful by reminding Coates of a possible violation of the state's conflict of interest statutes. Coates retorted that Cronin had not said anything about the conflict of interest laws during the phone conversation.

"It makes me wonder what influences have been exerted on the other members of the Council," Coates declared.

"I can assure you none," replied Cronin.

"How can you assure me?" responded Coates. "All you can give me is your opinion and I must say that I have less and less respect for that." Coates was the only dissenting vote.

The Council's decision seemed to Dietz's formal opposition to the bridge. He vowed, however, to continue his court fight over the alleged zoning violations. Dietz is contending that the building exceeds the allowable 4-1 ratio of floor area to plot size and that the off-street supply loading zone is too small.

Spokesmen for the Coop said the Society is confident that the court will uphold its opposition. In the event of an unfavorable ruling, they said, contigency plans had been developed to avoid any major design changes in the annex, which is already under construction.

John G. Morrill, the Coop's General Manager, appealed to the Council for a prompt decision on the bridge and said that Dietz's opposition has cost the Society six months' building time. "There have been numerous costly changes in design principally because the officers and directors wanted to please particular aesthetic tastes."

Attorneys for both sides informally argued the legal implications of the bridge petition. A special enabling act, passed by the state legislature last year, gives the Council the right to approve the petition by a two-thirds vote.

The opposition to the bridge has maintained that without the act, the bridge would clearly be in violation of the City's building code which prohibits any building to extend beyond the curb line. Although not questioning the legality of the enabling act, William P. Homans, an ex-state representative from Cambridge, said that allowing the bridge to be built would represent "spot zoning" in spirit.

Richard D. Gerould '24, City Soliciter, upheld the Coop's position. In a letter to the nine councillors, Gerould cited a section in the building code that specifically excludes bridges

Spokesmen for the Coop said the Society is confident that the court will uphold its opposition. In the event of an unfavorable ruling, they said, contigency plans had been developed to avoid any major design changes in the annex, which is already under construction.

John G. Morrill, the Coop's General Manager, appealed to the Council for a prompt decision on the bridge and said that Dietz's opposition has cost the Society six months' building time. "There have been numerous costly changes in design principally because the officers and directors wanted to please particular aesthetic tastes."

Attorneys for both sides informally argued the legal implications of the bridge petition. A special enabling act, passed by the state legislature last year, gives the Council the right to approve the petition by a two-thirds vote.

The opposition to the bridge has maintained that without the act, the bridge would clearly be in violation of the City's building code which prohibits any building to extend beyond the curb line. Although not questioning the legality of the enabling act, William P. Homans, an ex-state representative from Cambridge, said that allowing the bridge to be built would represent "spot zoning" in spirit.

Richard D. Gerould '24, City Soliciter, upheld the Coop's position. In a letter to the nine councillors, Gerould cited a section in the building code that specifically excludes bridges