Submitted by Louisa Stone, Greenwich, open letter to Fred Camillo about the intersection project at Havemeyer / Arch at Greenwich Avenue
Dear Fred,
I know you care deeply about safety on Greenwich Avenue, but it doesn’t help your case when you say that you walk there every day and that Arch Street is 56 feet wide, just like Greenwich Avenue. Everyone knows that Arch Street is two lanes with no parking; Greenwich Avenue is two lanes with two lanes of parking. The crossing from Havemeyer to the old post office is 56 feet because it is on the diagonal.
I’ve just circulated a letter that Peter Malkin sent to Dan Quigley and told me I could share with others.
You should see it:
You should know what Peter Malkin thinks of the Municipal Improvement proposed for Greenwich Avenue. Peter Malkin, founder of Merritt Parkway Conservancy, Greenwich Tree Conservancy, and Greenwich Green & Clean, lives on West Elm Street and owns the former Post Office Building. When his neighbor Dan Quigley wrote in support of the proposed MI, (QUIGLEY: Arch Street Safety Enhancements Make Greenwich Safer for Everyone Dec 6, 2022) Peter sent him this note and shared it with me, saying I could use it as I see fit.
From: Peter Malkin
Sent: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 11:27 AM
To: Dan Quigley
Subject: Greenwich Avenue
Dan
You know that I admire your writing but I do have concern with your letter today in the Free Press—I assume that it is the editor’s error that has you say that the historic buildings “inhibit” rather than inhabit the historic intersection
I did support the original plan. However, the reduction of the lawn and the very probable damage to the roots of the very special beech trees that surround the Bolling Memorial are a real concern. The likely result will be the death of these trees that will occur after the cut back and the all too frequent installation of granite curbs with deep foundations, even if their death does not occur immediately.
The widening is not necessary to the work you support. The additional parking spaces on Arch Street will actually interfere with the flow of traffic from Arch Street into Greenwich Avenue. The changed plan is an unnecessary mistake.
As to the Grigg Street proposal, it is also unnecessary in that already narrow part of the Avenue where there are already bump outs, and will eliminate parking spaces really needed there.
Best wishes for the Holidays
Peter