To The Editor,
One item addressed by the first public speaker you highlighted in Monday’s lead story, was that the residents of Gateway Plaza should not have any say in what occurs with the frontage of 21 South End to which she owns her apartment.
Of course, many of my friends at Gateway, all who rent, felt this comment by a condo owner reflected contempt toward other Battery Park City residents, placing renters into a lower social class. If she were to simply point out that condo owners have the right to determine the path of their own building, it would have been fine, but to single out Gateway renters was a bit much.
In this way, I have to agree with our CB1 Chair Anthony Notaro overall that the BPCA is doing some good things, and this is one of them – allowing all input on the redesign of South End Avenue. It appears quite democratic. I, for one, would love to see South End lined with old street lamps, flowers, and park benches, as suggested. This would give South End a friendly old town feel.
After many decisions by the BPCA that did not include residential input, it appears that the BPCA might be turning the corner, a redesign corner, for once.
Tom Goodkind