University Building Programs Show Fruits of Capital Campaign

With the successful Capital Campaign winding down, the University will address long-standing needs for more research and classroom space this semester by embarking on a number of large renovation and building projects.

The most noticeable of these will be the Maxwell-Dworkin building on Oxford Street north of the Science Center. The result of a $25 million donation by Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, Class of '77 and Executive Vice-President Steven A. Ballmer '77, the building will house the computer science and electrical engineering departments.

David A. Zewinski '76, associate dean for physical resources and planning, says officials hope the new building will revitalize the sciences at Harvard. President Neil L. Rudenstine has listed the sciences among his top priorities throughout the last year.

Originally scheduled for completion by early summer, Maxwell-Dworkin will likely be done before the end of spring reading period. The same firm that did the renovations to Langdell Hall, the Harvard Law School's library, is handling construction.

The Naito chemistry lab building, with its foundation already poured near the Mallinckrodt laboratory building, should be completed by next fall.

In addition to these two project already under construction, two other science buildings are on the drawing boards as the semester begins. A center for genomics and proteomics, as well as a building for imaging and the study of mesoscale structures, are on the fast track for development, the beneficiaries of $200 million in new funding for the sciences.

Last fall, Harvard announced that the Knafel Center, uniting the government department and several regional centers, would be built on two sites across Cambridge St. from each other. The problems attendant to a two-building plan have slowed the design process somewhat. Rough blueprints for the building will be unveiled in a few months.

Harvard Yard will see $3.5 million in renovations this spring and summer, creating convertible classroom and rehearsal space in Holden Chapel and making Harvard Hall wheelchair accessible.

The Holyoke Center arcade will have a door put on its Harvard Yard side, among other renovations. This door change is intended to prevent air-pressure imbalances which have caused the arcade's revolving door to shatter on two occasions--a "life safety concern that we could not ignore," Levitan said.

In addition, Widener Library will begin installing an air conditioning, heating and sprinkler system. The construction, which will require a sky crane to be built between the library and Mass Ave., will not be finished for another 2.5 to three years.