Alexander Stewart: New apartment complex may not be in city's best interest

To The Daily Sun,

This letter is to express my opposition to Gilbert & Son's intention to develop 90 apartments off Province Street, as stated in the front page article of the Daily Sun from Dec. 31.

The best development fosters connection between the neighborhood it builds and the community it serves. It encourages a sense of pride for the homeowners or renters, who can feel as if their house is more than just an apartment, and more like a home. It honors the natural resources that must be cut down, diverted, or removed in order to make the place buildable. This plan, as far as I can tell, does none of those things.

There is no pedestrian access for the residents, meaning everyone requires a car to go to and from their home. Three, 30-unit buildings do nothing to create a pride of place for the renters, and instead seem to be motivated by short-term profit instead of long-term investment. Parking lots and driveways are a poor substitute to gardens and front yards.

I ask you to ask yourself, what do you envision our community is capable of? We are not here to provide a "feasible cash flow" for developers, as was stated in the Daily Sun article. We are here to enhance the lives of those closest to us.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m. to review the multiple requests this project is asking for. I encourage everyone able to attend to voice your opposition. Let us not build for present use, or present delight alone. Let us build such that our children and grandchildren will say, "see, this is what our parents did for us."

Alexander Stewart

Laconia High School Class of 2006

Portsmouth