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WRITING
ABOUT A
BUlLDlNG
IS NOT EASY.
It has a very quiet way of telling its story -- and you must become an active participant to learn it. The building will only share with you as much as you want to learn.
The Porter Exchange building has a fascinating history. It is located in Porter Square, a North Cambridge neighborhood more than two hundred years old. The building dates back nearly seventy years when it was built as an innovative, modern department store. Thousands of people visited this building from 1928 to 1985 to shop at Sears, one of the first large retail stores in the area. Choosing one of the important architectural designs of those years -- Art Deco -- clearly communicated that this was not just an ordinary building. This design, along with the commercial impact that this Sears outlet had in the community, explains why it's considered a historic landmark.
I frequented Sears with my wife during the 1970s. I particularly remember December of 1975, when we would spend countless hours in the infants section. We were expecting a child in January, and we certainly wanted to be ready. The child, Rosario, was born on January 10, one of the coldest days of that winter. Twenty years have passed and Rosario is now attending Lesley's Women's College.
The Sears & Roebuck Building -- the original name of the structure now known as Porter Exchange -- was designed by George C. Nimmons of Chicago and built in 1928. Just as Lesley University has been an innovator as an educational institution since its founding in 1909, Sears was a pioneer in catalog and suburban retailing. This landmark building was characterized by its mushroom-shaped columns, metal store fronts and open escalators.
Although Porter Exchange was built in the 1920s, it is part of the Porter Square community history dating back more than two centuries to the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. When Harvard Square was growing as an academic community, Porter Square was already an important business center. By the 19th century the area was a very active suburban community with a successful economy that brought together merchants and farmers. Porter Square development was further spurred by the introduction of the railroad in the 1840s, which by the end of the century had its first electric cars.
The late 1930s and early forties witnessed a decline in Porter Square's population and business activity. Many people moved to more rural -- and tranquil -- settings. The process of decline continued and Sears & Roebuck closed this store in 1985.
Today Porter Square is as active as it ever was. The extension of the Red Line subway to Porter Square and beyond in the mid 1980s brought renewed vitality to the area. It is a vibrant residential community with a strong and diverse business sector. Porter Exchange reflects the rejuvenating process experienced by Porter Square. The commuter rail and the Porter Square subway station are two doors away, and Harvard Square is just a short walk away. The building is located on Massachusetts Avenue, the central commercial thoroughfare that connects Boston to Cambridge and continues northward to the communities of Arlington and Lexington.
Purchased by Lesley University in 1994, it is a building that further connects Lesley with its Cambridge roots and projects the University towards its future. The four-story, 220,000 square foot building houses an international community of enterprises. Among the businesses at Porter Exchange, you find a sporting goods store, a store selling jewelry from around the world, and a Japanese food court including restaurants, bakeries and markets. There are also boutiques, travel agencies and a restaurant specializing in southwestern food. The administrative offices of the Smithsonian Observatory, a unit of the world-renowned center for the study of society, are also located at Porter Exchange. In addition, Lesley's community enjoys access to a state-of-the art health club and an outdoor running track on the building's top floor.
Lesley first discovered Porter Exchange when it leased classroom space in 1991. In 1994 Lesley University trustees and administrators decided that the purchase of Porter Exchange would further strengthen Lesley's position as an educational institution.
With the Porter Exchange purchase, Lesley has made Porter Square an important part of the University's present and future. In President Margaret McKenna's (photo) words, "The acquisition of this building represents a major step in the life of Lesley College as it both confirms and enables our growth, indicates our success and strength as an institution, and demonstrates our faith in the future."
She further stated, "Porter Exchange provides many opportunities for Lesley. While much of the building is currently leased to outside parties, as leases expire and college needs arise, we will occupy more of the third and fourth floors. We are also working with the trustee development committee to create a fundraising strategy to support this capital purchase and the potential effect it will have for Lesley's mission, programs and goals."
Porter Exchange has played and will continue to play an important role in Lesley's educational efforts. Since 1991, students have attended classes on the third floor of the building. In 1995 a shuttle service for students and staff was initiated to facilitate movement between Lesley's various buildings. In addition, administrative offices have been migrating to the building to provide convenient access to student services. The Office of Admissions for Graduate and Adult Baccalaureate Programs has been located at Porter Exchange since fall 1995. In the summer of 1996 the offices of the Registrar, Bursar, Financial Aid and Finance were relocated there.
Six art and dance studios and five classrooms will be inaugurated during fall 1996 on the building's fourth floor, bringing the total number of classrooms to 30. Also slated for this fall is the anticipated opening of a student and faculty center.
The Exchange building purchase was a bold move by Lesley University. As many institutions experience a decline in enrollment and a weakening financial position, many observers of higher education believe that the times call for caution. This decision was not made without careful thought.
Factors in the decision included the facts that Lesley had outgrown its classroom space; enrollment has been strong; and Lesley enjoys a level of financial health that ensures the strength and continuity of its programs. The quality of its academic offerings and the financial and administrative stability has been widely recognized, most recently in 1995 by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
The purchase of Porter Exchange was an important step by Lesley to better serve students and to ensure the University's continued ability to fulfill its mission as "a leader and innovator in educating for the professions that put people first."
Pablo Navarro is an assistant professor in the Adult Baccalaureate College.
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