Letters

PLANET CRAZY

Dear Dan,

This is a crazy country; people who have broken our Federal Law and who continue to break our laws daily are rewarded for their criminal acts. The illegal day workers have won another round with our local government, they now have a hiring site in Southampton and I can’t believe it hasn’t cost the taxpayers a cent. Everything the illegals do cost us citizens millions, they now get free medical, school, welfare cash, food stamps, etc.

Nice rewards for breaking our laws.

As a citizen, I wonder if I would be rewarded if I didn’t pay my taxes?

See you in a few years!

Carol Collins

Mattituck

Via e-mail

But our government let them in! – DR

-

THANK YOU!

Dear Dan,

I just wanted to say “thank you” for the great read after a great meal!

On Thursday evening,-I made my first trip back out to East Hampton after losing my dearest friend eight years ago. I just did not want to face all the memories, and figured if-I waited long enough, it would change enough to forget...well, I was wrong, and now I thank God it did not change.-

As-I sat on the beach and listened to the waves crash ever so differently each-time, I was right back there in that space of time and it was okay. This place is a little bit of heaven right here on earth. You can be as visible as you like or go all weekend without seeing another person, you can be alone with your thoughts or go out to dinner and talk your way through town.

I-am so glad-I revisited my dear friends house and the memories of all the happy days are in my head and heart and now it’s okay to make new ones.

I grabbed your paper as I left the restaurant Friday night and-I am so glad-I did. I cannot wait to get back into my friends house and get it ready for the season and enjoy the summer, winter, spring and fall.

-Thanks again,

Joyce J. Perrini

Via e-mail

Wonderful. – DR

SAVE MORE HOUSES

Dear Dan,

I was very distressed to read that the Warhol estate was sold to a private party with no restrictions to preserve its artistic and historic heritage. Similarly, I painfully watch the debate and demise of the historic Victorian house on Gingerbread and Race Lanes. On the East End, there are strong organizations that fight to protect the land, but who is protecting the architectural and historic integrity of our area?

We all know that people love the East End because of the landscape and the water. They also come, however, because of the historic charm and rich artistic heritage. If the ocean were the only draw, people would flock to Westhampton and avoid the traffic and sometimes long journeys to the East End. Drive along Route 27 between East Hampton and Amagansett, and notice all the wonderful old homes that give the area such charm. Then think of these houses being replaced by the overbuilt unaesthetic McMansions or banal business outposts. We take for granted the pleasure that our architectural contour provides.

In New York City, there is a landmark law and myriad organizations, such as the Municipal Art Society, committed to preserving the architectural and artistic integrity of the city, which have successfully saved such beloved buildings as Grand Central and St. Bartholomew’s Church. We must follow the city’s lead. The government and local groups must work together to effectively stop the sale of our beloved landmarks.

The Cooper Lane area is also changing for the worse. Peter Wrangell, the architect who designed my wonderful house, showed me an addition he designed for a house on Cooper Lane near Newtown Lane. Then the house sold, was enlarged to an unworkable proportion, and is now unrecognizable. A block away, a house was built to cover every inch of the small lot – once again completely out of character with the architectural and historic charm of the neighborhood. How can we sit back and allow these monstrosities to occur?

We can see by the fight over the house on Gingerbread and Race Lane that you cannot wait until a property is sold in order to fight to protect it. We need a law that thoughtfully protects the buildings we designate as historically important.

Debra Foster announced that the town is interested in preserving artists’ studios. The former studio of Hedda Stern, one of the abstract expressionists of the Pollock era, sits on Hog Creek Road near Springs Fireplace Road, without historic easements or protections. It is also the former home of the first Springs Fire Department. Fortunately, the new owner loves the studio. Nonetheless, a subsequent purchaser can just tear it down. We must identify these studios and historic houses and focus our energy on protecting them.

Where is the Town on this issue? Government has the responsibility and authority to legislate for the best interests of the people. Surely a rational landmark law could preserve the places we all love. Historic easements can be placed on properties so that the exteriors and essential qualities can remain. If we don’t act, the town we all love will become just another suburb on the ocean. The values that everyone bitterly fights to protect will be usurped, as the charm of the area disintegrates.

The seller of the Warhol property stated that the property “should have been placed on the National Historic Trust.” Why wasn’t it? The purchaser spent close to $40,000,000. Does anyone think he will choose to preserve the historic bungalows? The real estate industry, which is so powerful in this town, must think about the well-being and value of our properties and town. The Town must enact legislation, which reasonably protects and preserves for us all the character of the place we all love so much.

Carol J. Steinberg

East Hampton

Via e-mail

I agree with this. – DR