Cambridge Threatens to Repossess Final Club Building For Unpaid Taxes
The A.D., one of eight all-male final clubs restricted to Harvard students (but not formally recognized by the University), owes the City of Cambridge approximately $17,000 in unpaid property taxes. That may seem like a lot – and to normal plebeians it is – but not when you consider the value of the glorified fraternity’s building and land, which is estimated at an astonishing $3.6 million.
As a social club the A.D. is exempt from taxes, but because the organization generates money from space it leases to Adidas – a whopping $320,000 in 2007 – it must pay taxes on that income.
Nevertheless, the entire affair seems to be somewhat of a touchy subject among A.D. members and alumni, since after The Crimson left a voicemail message for Michael Madden – a Harvard alum listed as the vice president of the A.D. – it received an angry phone call from a man identifying himself only as Madden’s representative threatening to take legal action:
“You are blinded by your hatred of final clubs. The Harvard Crimson should have other news besides the tax matters of the A.D. Club,” he said. “We are going to have to go to our lawyers if this continues.”
Later, Madden called to inform The Crimson that the back taxes had been paid and that everything was fine – that it was negligence more than anything else – but somehow, in the back of our skeptical minds, we at Ivygate doubt. Does anyone know something we don’t? Email us at tips@ivygateblog.com.
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October 12th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Guys, serious question – is that an actual photograph of the inside of the A.D. Club? (The four columns in the background match up with the exterior facade of the building facing Mass Ave.) If so, where did you find it? Images of the “secret” interiors of these places are in high demand . . .
Thx,
CC
October 14th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
beautiful picture isn’t it? It was taken by a rape-victim on her way out. the chandelier is gorgeous.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
No..that is not a picture from inside the A.D. and only an immature ignorant person would make light of rape. These clubs are for gentlemen and have a very stirct honor code. If more of our young adults had the privledge to belong to one of the Final Clubs there would be educated well adjusted men in the World. Sen Ted Kennedy, Governer Deval Patrick are two exapmles of hundreds of famous people who were members of Final Clubs. Do not knock what you do not understand.
UG