Insult to Residents

Martin Kristal’s attack on Westwood residents who have raised sincere concerns about the impact the Village Center Westwood project will have on their quality of life (“Friends of Westwood Blocking Progress,” June 30) is very troubling. Kristal has insulted all who spent many hours of study on this project and have concluded that it will do great harm to Westwood and its surrounding neighborhoods. Frankly, I am disappointed that the Business Journal printed such a petty, mean-spirited letter.

Does Ira Smedra, Village Center’s developer, support Kristal’s statements? If not, I would encourage him to publicly say so. I suspect he can’t, because he funds Kristal’s “Westwood 2000” organization and provides office space to it as reported in the May 5 Business Journal.

Rather than having his public relations apparatus attack Westwood residents, perhaps Smedra should start by telling the whole truth about his project. Why doesn’t he discuss his planned shuttle that will run along residential streets to accommodate overflow from the project’s woefully inadequate parking? Why doesn’t he discuss the outdated trip generation factors used in his environmental impact report, which deliberately underestimate Village Center’s traffic impacts? Why doesn’t he discuss a disturbing trend of legal and commercial difficulties with previous developments?

As residents and parents with a long-term stake in Westwood’s future, we have a right to ask these and many other troubling questions.

DAVID BERGER

Westwood