Hemner said his firm considered the possibility of saving the buildings, but "It seemed that the buildings are in such a deteriorated state that it's hard to imagine trying to salvage them."

While Sudholz acknowledges that she has not seen the actual plans for the development, she was quick to say that Cambridge Savings Bank "has always been a good neighbor in Harvard Square."

Sudholz cited a recent renovation project carried out by the bank on Dunster Street as an example of the bank's "commitment to the architectural integrity of Harvard Square."

"[The bank] does have a good reputation of trying to do something that's tasteful, appropriate and that fits in with integrity of the Square, and I don't think they would be handling this any differently," she said. "They're extremely community conscious and community supportive."

Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 yesterday sounded a note of caution and reiterated the importance of preserving Cambridge's architectural heritage.

"[Cambridge Savings Bank] ha[s] floated a proposal and now they're getting reaction to that," Reeves said. "It's very clear to me that Harvard Square is one of the most historic squares in the world. Now Paris doesn't just go tearing down the Eiffel Tower. We have to understand that this is a city with an architectural history and we have to preserve that."

Pebble Gifford, President of the Harvard Square Defense Fund, a watchdog group that has opposed previous developments in the Square, could not be reached for comment.

But Frank Cardullo, owner of the Wursthaus and a 53-year veteran of the Square, said the character of the area is changing.

"The Square is not the Square that it once was," Cardullo said. "It's an entirely different environment than what we had before. I've seen a lot of things happen to Harvard Square, but lately I'm not so sure the things that are happening are good ones."