Loss of small park upsets critics
Paper: Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT)
Title: Loss of small park upsets critics
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 15, 2005
BRIDGEPORT- There soon be a little less park in the Park City.
Though it was recently approved with little fanfare or dissension, the plan to replace a small downtown park with a chain pharmacy is not the right prescription for everyone.
Russo Park, a roughly 2-acre tract bounded by Park, Washington, Fairfield and West avenues, was once the site of a medical office building, but about a decade ago was lent to the city as parkland by the estate of its late owner.
The city landscaped the site, added shrubs, benches and even sculpture to create a small oasis of greenery downtown.
But the estate served notice on the city last year that it wanted to take back control of the property, and construction of a Walgreen's pharmacy was proposed. Last month, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project.
Critics do not look forward to what they fear will be an increase in traffic, as well as the loss of so much open space in the congested downtown area.
"I work right around the corner from the park, and even now the traffic is unimaginable," said Ellen Conte Neeley, a representative for Friends of Russo Park, a group that opposes the park's development.
"There are so many Walgreens around here, I don't know why they need to put another one right here," she said.
Raymond Rizio, the attorney for the pharmacy developer, said Neeley's assertion about traffic problems is wrong.
"A traffic study was conducted, and the city engineer agreed there'd be no increase in traffic," he said.
Neeley also decried the loss of the patch of greenery, "so [the city] can tax it when it's something that so many people use."
The late Dr. Robert Russo temporarily loaned the land to the city for use as a park in 1997. The property was later sold to Select Corner Properties LLC, whose application for a pharmacy was approved Jan. 31 by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
As recently as last week, unseasonably warm temperatures drew people to Russo Park, with some walking their dogs or just relaxing on one of its many benches.
"I come out here almost every day to take my dog out," said Maurice Sample, who lives across the street from the park.
"This is one of the only places that's close by where kids can come and play," Sample said. "I also have a couple of other friends who always take their dogs out here."
Once the weather gets warmer, the park gets more activity.
"During the summer you see a lot of families out here eating with picnic baskets," Sample said.
However, Sample admitted that not only was he unaware of the plan to build a pharmacy, he probably would not have even gone to protest it.
Neeley feels the city intentionally made it difficult to oppose the move.
When she went with others to a public hearing, the item was so late on the agenda that even though she waited four hours, the issue was not brought up for comment, she said. Since many of those against the change had brought their children, they had to leave before the proposal was discussed.
Rizio thinks criticism may stem from the fact that even though the land has been used as a park, the site was never really public property.
"People should not look at this negatively that the land is now being developed on," he said. "The Russos received no tax breaks for lending the city this land and it was always planned to eventually get developed."
And not all neighborhood residents believe the new pharmacy will have a negative impact on the area.
Danny Zayat, who works at a convenience store across from the park, believes Walgreen's may generate more commercial activity in the area.
"I think the new store may actually help," Zayat said, "because it will mean more people in the area and maybe more business for me."
Even though he sees a possible personal upside to the park's closing, Zayat does admit that it will be considered a loss by those who live nearby.
"Some people don't have cars, and if their children want to play around here, this is the only place for them to go," he said.
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS, Staff writer
Title: Loss of small park upsets critics
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 15, 2005
BRIDGEPORT- There soon be a little less park in the Park City.
Though it was recently approved with little fanfare or dissension, the plan to replace a small downtown park with a chain pharmacy is not the right prescription for everyone.
Russo Park, a roughly 2-acre tract bounded by Park, Washington, Fairfield and West avenues, was once the site of a medical office building, but about a decade ago was lent to the city as parkland by the estate of its late owner.
The city landscaped the site, added shrubs, benches and even sculpture to create a small oasis of greenery downtown.
But the estate served notice on the city last year that it wanted to take back control of the property, and construction of a Walgreen's pharmacy was proposed. Last month, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project.
Critics do not look forward to what they fear will be an increase in traffic, as well as the loss of so much open space in the congested downtown area.
"I work right around the corner from the park, and even now the traffic is unimaginable," said Ellen Conte Neeley, a representative for Friends of Russo Park, a group that opposes the park's development.
"There are so many Walgreens around here, I don't know why they need to put another one right here," she said.
Raymond Rizio, the attorney for the pharmacy developer, said Neeley's assertion about traffic problems is wrong.
"A traffic study was conducted, and the city engineer agreed there'd be no increase in traffic," he said.
Neeley also decried the loss of the patch of greenery, "so [the city] can tax it when it's something that so many people use."
The late Dr. Robert Russo temporarily loaned the land to the city for use as a park in 1997. The property was later sold to Select Corner Properties LLC, whose application for a pharmacy was approved Jan. 31 by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
As recently as last week, unseasonably warm temperatures drew people to Russo Park, with some walking their dogs or just relaxing on one of its many benches.
"I come out here almost every day to take my dog out," said Maurice Sample, who lives across the street from the park.
"This is one of the only places that's close by where kids can come and play," Sample said. "I also have a couple of other friends who always take their dogs out here."
Once the weather gets warmer, the park gets more activity.
"During the summer you see a lot of families out here eating with picnic baskets," Sample said.
However, Sample admitted that not only was he unaware of the plan to build a pharmacy, he probably would not have even gone to protest it.
Neeley feels the city intentionally made it difficult to oppose the move.
When she went with others to a public hearing, the item was so late on the agenda that even though she waited four hours, the issue was not brought up for comment, she said. Since many of those against the change had brought their children, they had to leave before the proposal was discussed.
Rizio thinks criticism may stem from the fact that even though the land has been used as a park, the site was never really public property.
"People should not look at this negatively that the land is now being developed on," he said. "The Russos received no tax breaks for lending the city this land and it was always planned to eventually get developed."
And not all neighborhood residents believe the new pharmacy will have a negative impact on the area.
Danny Zayat, who works at a convenience store across from the park, believes Walgreen's may generate more commercial activity in the area.
"I think the new store may actually help," Zayat said, "because it will mean more people in the area and maybe more business for me."
Even though he sees a possible personal upside to the park's closing, Zayat does admit that it will be considered a loss by those who live nearby.
"Some people don't have cars, and if their children want to play around here, this is the only place for them to go," he said.
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS, Staff writer
posted by Steven Andrews at
9:33 PM
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