To the Editor:

Re “History Museum’s Expansion Seen As Boon For Columbus Ave.“, July 9: The meat and potato of the community newspaper includes the press release, which, unfortunately, is often swallowed lock, stock, and barrel as legitimate news or filler.

The reader is afraid that such is very much the case in this case, as the Museum of Natural History, hungry architects, and the Columbus Avenue BID lick their chops in anticipation of institutional expansion and resultant alienation of precious existing parkland.

We’re suffering the ugly results of museum expansion all around this island and this city as more and more adjacent building trashes, or proposes to trash, original masterpieces and their surroundings: Guggenheim, Frick, to name just two egregious examples.

While your article is without any critical perspective whatsoever, it does, at least, remind the readership that “[t]he museum is a city-owned landmark on public parkland, and the project requires approval from city agencies.“ You may be sure that the neighborhood and city-wide preservation communities will be weighing in early and often to provide check-and-balance to the otherwise unfettered ambitions of those to whom distinguished architecture and adjacent open space is seen primarily in terms of dollars-and-cents.

My personal mantra has become L.I.A.: Leave It Alone! Howard Charles Yourow