Letters to the Editor

Doing a good job

Dear Editor:

A few weeks ago I read a letter to the editor from a writer who seemed critical of what the Lombardo family was doing at the Liberty Plaza. I think it is always positive news when a shopping plaza gets a new face-lift. Liberty Plaza has always been in my lifetime a destination for shoppers trying to stay local.

The recent writer seemed to be too negative in the remodeling project. The writer thought the beautiful harbor view in the rear was being wasted. I have noticed the scenic view and thought how unfortunate that it remains hidden but folks must remember back in the ear and before the Liberty Plaza was originally constructed, waterfront views were not that popular. In fact, until the 60s most people wanted nothing to do with piers and wharves. Industries were consigned to these areas as were housing projects for the poor.

Today if those parcels of land that make up Liberty Plaza were vacant, you can better housing would be number one on the building agenda. However, to criticize the Lombardos for a sea-change in waterfront redevelopment over the past four decades is unfair.

I however took a long hard look at the rear of the plaza stores and wondered if anything at all could be worked in to the current rebuilding of the plaza structure. I could see residential units, apartments or condos atop the stores with views of the water in the rear facing the North End and Charlestown. Is that at all possible? Is it even reality-based? People are starting to find East Boston on the market and our waterfront areas are the prime targets of developers thinking about making the East Boston Seaport a destination spot which could only make all of East Boston prosper as a result.

Lombardo’s renewing of Liberty Plaza should be praised rather than dissed because you can’t see the water Central Square (which by the way will be redesigned too)?

Sal Giarratani

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