Documents Show Harvard Now Owns Hasty Pudding Club

Harvard University acquired ownership of the Hasty Pudding building on Holyoke Street Oct. 2, deeds obtained by the Crimson show.

The proprietorship transfer ends months of negotiations between the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Institute of 1770, the graduate board of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and Social Club.

"The ground and building are now owned by the President and Fellows of Harvard College," Scott Levitan, director of University and Commercial Real Estate, confirmed yesterday.

The University has owned the land on which the Pudding complex is situated since 1986--initially indirectly, through an entity called the Holyoke Street Nominee Trust.

Legal documents show that Harvard has terminated its lease to the institute for use of the land, and then in a subsequent filing with Middlesex County, assumed ownership of the building as well.

Three trustees of the institute, one of whom is deceased, were named as defendants in the Sept. 1 civil suit filed by the restaurant UpStairs at the Pudding, the building's current tenant.

Two trustees of the Harvard-controlled Holyoke Street Nominee Trust were also named as defendants, and the owners of the restaurant hope the suit will allow it to stay in the building, despite Harvard's plans for a $10 million renovation to turn the space into a student theater.

The institute recently responded to the suit with a motion to dismiss, claiming the institute no longer has an interest in the building.

UpStairs' attorney, William I. Cowin, said his clients would likely agree to that motion and then sue Harvard directly.

And Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71 said last month that even when Harvard acquired formal ownership of the building, the UpStairs suit might for delay planned renovations for the Faculty.

"Once the agreement is made [to transfer ownership], that doesn't do anything to UpStairs," he said last month.

Meanwhile, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals will stage its "no holds barred drag burlesque" this spring, as planned.

"The Theatricals are looking forward to working with Harvard, and we are excited about the renovations," Suzanne M. Pomey '02, co-producer of this year's Theatrical production said yesterday. "We're putting the show on as usual and upholding our tradition."

The College will continue its planning process for the Pudding building, administrators have said.

"The preservation and restoration of the theater for undergraduate use, and the use of this important and well-located space for other important College needs, have been our main priority," Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 wrote yesterday in an e-mail message. "I am glad that we are moving towards realizing those objectives."