The New Rochelle Armory debate: Where do you stand?
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- April
- 17
The Journal News/LoHud.com has gotten quite a divided response from readers about New Rochelle’s plans to knock down the Armory for its Echo Bay Redevelopment Project.
City officials and developers are considering a proposal that includes razing the abandoned 77-year-old structure as part of a $450 million waterfront revitalization plan, including a community center, hotel, retail space, luxury apartments, condos and affordable housing.
The United Veterans Memorial and Patriotic Association and Save Our Armory Committee held a rally last week, calling on city officials and developers to preserve the building to honor its veterans, including 300 who died in combat. Some residents say they don’t want progress at the expense of preserving the city’s history, while others insist the building could be restored as part of the redevelopment plans.
But we have also received letters from New Rochelle residents, including veterans and children of veterans, who praise the project, saying it will improve a blighted area and revitalize the city’s economy, and arguing that knocking down the Armory doesn’t mean the city doesn’t honor its veterans.
What do you think?
This entry was posted
on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 at 6:01 am by Nicole Neroulias.
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I think that the best way to honor the dead, is to help the living.Young veterans who, upon returning home after serving their country, are trying to get back to a productive life and older veterans who are struggling in a sagging economy on fixed incomes. Provide them with affordable housing and a park where all can sit and contemplate the lives of those of us who paid the ultimate price for the freedom that we all enjoy.
Aurelio opens the discussion of affordable housing for returning vets. In addition, Echo Bay Redevelopment might be considered if there was a guaranteed percentage of jobs (say 25%) and job training for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with union oversight. Armories are a symbol of the past and possibly too expensive to keep… but a relevant park and a memorial to our soldiers is a good trade off if our returning vets are part of the solution. Montrose should be re-habbed by retired veterans teaching the trades to Iraq and Afghanistan vets… same reasons. It would also be a major help to young vets upon their return.