joebos, back in another decade when Havard proposed its first building at Barry's Corner, which was to be built where the former Verizon garage / now Harvard Ceramics building is, there were objections. The building was to be used for art conservation/storage, and had exhibition galleries on the second/third floor, IIRC. (Design was contemporary, done by a California firm whose name escapes me).
The objections were directed at both the design and purpose: i.e., the building and galleries were not grand enough for their vision of a re-vitalized Barry's Corner. And neighbors on the west side of N Harvard St (SE corner of Barry's Corner) objected because gallery-goers could peer into their backyards. A PM from an occasional poster here claimed that, supposedly, the abutting neighbors were willing to sell their four or five houses to Harvard as a block. And Harvard declined the offer.
One thing about Harvard's land acquisitions in Allston is it seems to have studiously avoided buying residential property. I believe it bought only one, and that is a three decker on the north side of Western Ave., way down near the Olmstead stables.
It wasn't that Harvard couldn't afford the asking price for the N. Harvard St. block, but I'll speculate and say that Harvard didn't want to set a precedent, because then, where does the willingness to sell and Harvard's buying of residential properties stop?
I'm sure there are underlying tensions in Lower Allston, between property owners with $ visions and want Harvard to hurry along with its development, and property owners who want to stay in their property for a long-time.
And its not without precedent for Harvard to buy residential property. It has done so in Cambridge, although the purchases seem to have been of distressed buildings, which Harvard then renovated at great expense (private developers wouldn't spend that kind of money). If you walk around Green St., Banks St. Athens Terrace?, look for houses with the fire alarm annunciator by the front door.
^^^ 18 Banks St Cambridge, an example.
