By Ken Gewertz

Gazette Staff

Harvard has donated a parcel of land on the corner of North Harvard and Eatonia streets in Allston for the construction of a new public library.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Provost Harvey Fineberg made the announcement yesterday at a ceremony at the Thomas Gardner School in Allston. Also present were Boston Redevelopment Authority Director Thomas O'Brien, Boston Public Library President Bernard Margolis, a host of city and neighborhood officials, and approximately 100 youngsters from the Gardner School and their teachers.

"I'm delighted to play a part in enabling a suitable parcel of land to be dedicated to the use of Allston residents," Fineberg said. "A library is not only a repository of books and materials, but a pathway of learning and future development for every youngster and adult in this community."

Between the time the project was first proposed and the present, Harvard more than doubled the size of the land parcel from 22,525 square feet to approximately 57,000 square feet.

Menino praised the spirit of partnership between Harvard and the city of Boston and said that thanks to Harvard's donation, "we now have a big enough parcel of land to build a library that will serve many needs for the residents of Allston well into the next century."

Menino announced the appointment of a five-member community advisory committee, which will work with the architectural firm of Michado & Silvetti Associates Inc. to design the new library.

Lillian Burgess, a member of the advisory committee, said that with more than 200 youngsters at the St. Anthony School and 100 at the Gardner, "there is a very great need for a library in this neighborhood."

"This is the best kind of project to work on because there is a clear community mission," said Tim Love, an architect with Michado & Silvetti who will direct the design of the building. "It's a fantastic opportunity to be able to tailor the building to community cultural needs and to make it much more special to the neighborhood."

The design process will begin immediately and continue through 1998. Construction is expected to begin early in 1999, and the library is scheduled to open in the spring of the year 2000. The city has budgeted approximately $3.5 million for the project.

Harvard's donation of land for the construction of the library is part of an ongoing partnership with the Allston-Brighton Community that includes such activities as the Business School's partnership with the Taft School and tutoring program at the Gardner School, matching funds for the construction of a playground at the Gardner School, reconstruction of two Allston Little League baseball fields, scholarships to Allston-Brighton youth to attend Harvard summer sports camps, and many other cultural and athletic outreach projects.