The residents now on East Third Avenue are treated like minorities without much say as to height restrictions on the East Second commercial blocks. Unlike poor minorities, we are regarded as the not-in-my-backyard types. An Aug. 27 Herald article, in my opinion, clearly identified the East Third Avenue residents as the rich who are due their “fall.”

As a 20-year resident on East Third Avenue, the first 10 years I worked three jobs to pay my mortgage, feed my children, etc. There are plenty of neighbors on this stretch who have worked as hard and have shown their appreciation by keeping up their yards and home restoration.

If this massive project goes through all the city hoops, which will set a new height precedent to 70 feet high, most of the lovely Victorians will be rented out because the backyards will be privacy nightmares. The few rentals now on East Third Avenue in general do not have nice yards and need fixing up. The six stories of “rise” on East Second Avenue will be the “fall” on East Third Avenue.

Please, everyone, including downtown merchants and town leaders, do anything you can to not let 15 blocks of history go down the path as just one more bad decision that could affect our unique place forever.

Sally Florence

Durango