Boston University Free Press Editorial: Here comes Harvard

EDITORIAL: Here comes Harvard - Opinion
New building projects inevitably scare residents. If it happens in their neighborhood, they are often forced to reconstruct their lives.

So when Harvard University announces a multibillion-dollar, 200-acre plan to build what it hopes to be a sort of Harvard Square 2, it's no wonder many Allston inhabitants are weary.

A project requiring 8,712,000 square feet to create will intrude on residents' space. If the construction doesn't physically knock down their homes, the increased cost of living could be enough to kick much of the population out.

In an area where the median income is $38,941 and 23 percent of residents live in poverty, according to the Allston-Brighton Data Profile, building a high-class shopping area that could become Boston's newest tourist trap won't exactly lower rent prices.