Long Overdue MAC Report Still Not Done

The report which may herald a $30 million renovation of the MAC is now about as overdue as a turn on the bench press at peak hours.

After a six-month delay, planners say the report, originally scheduled to be submitted to Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Jeremy R. Knowles last fall will be released next week.

Renovation of the MAC could lead to the next best alternative to a full-blown student center, with possible 24-hour access and student group office space, according to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68.

The report, commissioned last year by Knowles and compiled by consultants from HNTB Corp. and a FAS committee, outlines options for increasing recreational space at Harvard, primarily through renovating the MAC and moving the three varsity sports that currently occupy it across the river with the rest of the athletic program.

The report examines ways to increase locker room space for women’s sports and maintain the current field space.

Richard Friedson, an architect for HNTB Corp. hired as a consultant, said last spring that he had originally hoped the report would be finished by October of 2001.

Though the report is nearly six months overdue, Lewis—who has been raising funds for the MAC renovation—said he is not worried about the delay.

“I’ve been concerned for years that the MAC get renovated. It’s a slow process,” he said.

Then, the authors failed to meet a self-imposed mid-April deadline to submit the findings to Knowles.

FAS representatives on the survey’s committee has said that the report missed earlier deadlines because both HNTB and FAS wanted the report to be as thorough as possible.

In April, however, FAS Director of Physical Resources, Michael N. Lichten said “the data crunching and analysis is done” and the report was essentially complete.

Lichten said Wednesday that the committee drafting the report is not currently changing the facts, but rather “re-working it a little bit” to give the document emphasis and focus.

—Staff writer William M. Rasmussen can be reached at wrasmuss@fas.harvard.edu

The report which may herald a $30 million renovation of the MAC is now about as overdue as a turn on the bench press at peak hours.

After a six-month delay, planners say the report, originally scheduled to be submitted to Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Jeremy R. Knowles last fall will be released next week.

Renovation of the MAC could lead to the next best alternative to a full-blown student center, with possible 24-hour access and student group office space, according to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68.

The report, commissioned last year by Knowles and compiled by consultants from HNTB Corp. and a FAS committee, outlines options for increasing recreational space at Harvard, primarily through renovating the MAC and moving the three varsity sports that currently occupy it across the river with the rest of the athletic program.

The report examines ways to increase locker room space for women’s sports and maintain the current field space.

Richard Friedson, an architect for HNTB Corp. hired as a consultant, said last spring that he had originally hoped the report would be finished by October of 2001.

Though the report is nearly six months overdue, Lewis—who has been raising funds for the MAC renovation—said he is not worried about the delay.

“I’ve been concerned for years that the MAC get renovated. It’s a slow process,” he said.

Then, the authors failed to meet a self-imposed mid-April deadline to submit the findings to Knowles.

FAS representatives on the survey’s committee has said that the report missed earlier deadlines because both HNTB and FAS wanted the report to be as thorough as possible.

In April, however, FAS Director of Physical Resources, Michael N. Lichten said “the data crunching and analysis is done” and the report was essentially complete.

Lichten said Wednesday that the committee drafting the report is not currently changing the facts, but rather “re-working it a little bit” to give the document emphasis and focus.

Knowles must decide which parts of the report to adopt before specific construction plans can be determined, a process that would likely take a year.

Lichten also said last month that administrators have not yet raised the $30 million that would be needed for the renovation, despite Lewis’ fundraising efforts last spring.

While the report primarily investigates options for increasing recreational use space, Lewis said that planners may also seek more space for social activities.

“I am attracted to the idea that you could have in the MAC a facility that’s part athletic and part social in a broad context and is open long hours,” Lewis said.

The cost of securing a building late-at-night, Lewis said, makes it important economically that the building “serve multiple functions.”

Should the MAC be renovated, finding space for the three varsity sports currently in the MAC—volleyball, wrestling, and fencing—could also entail redesign of some of the buildings in the athletic area across the river.

Knowles said he would not comment until he received the report.

—Staff writer William M. Rasmussen can be reached at wrasmuss@fas.harvard.edu