We note with interest the recent editorial (“Wal-Mart silence leads to property shopping,” American Journal, Nov. 23) regarding Saunders Brothers active marketing of its mill property. As residents of the neighborhood near and next to the Saunders site, our greatest hope is for a concerted community effort (Saunders, developer, city and neighbors) culminating in a visionary and mutually beneficial development there. Though our citizen group is often cited as “opposing the (Wal-Mart) project,” what we oppose is the type of highest impact/intensity development being specifically proposed.
A true “win-win” would recognize the neighbors’ sincere desire to see the Saunders succeed in selling the mill. It would forge a team of developer, city and neighbors to create a redevelopment that is respectful of people’s quality of life and mindful that what happens there is corollary to our continued downtown revitalization. Everyone wants to see something good happen there. People would lend their support to development that doesn’t wish to be open 24 hours a day and attract thousands of vehicles to its doors. This would be a great time for the city to offer what assistance it might be able to provide in the form of Brownfields funds and consensus building. This type of effort seems to have come to a good result in the Mitchell Hill instance.
Having invested our money and our lives in one of Westbrook’s oldest and most charming and historical neighborhoods, we should not be apologetic about protecting our community from the detrimental effects of Big Box Retail development. But it is exciting and intriguing to think about the many other kinds and combinations of positive redevelopment which could happen here.
Bob and Sue Barton, Clifford Street
Ben and Helen Black, Cottage Street
Anne Bureau, Oak Street
Rick and Deb Goss, Forest Street
Jim Hiltonsmith, Forest Street
Karen Pearson, Cottage Street
Eileen Shutts, Monroe Avenue
Lee Swanson, Clifford Street
Nancy Wintle, Lamb Street
Carl Zeis, Forest Street
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