Milford needs to grow

To the editor: According to Pike County official estimates, Pike County’s population is projected to grow by 29.7% from 2000 to 2010. If Milford is to keep up with the growth, the Milford commercial base must be allowed to grow as well. With big box stores sprouting up all around Milford, the life of Milford will die as consumers go elsewhere in search of more variety in shopping choices. If we do not keep up with the competition, we will end up with a street full of empty storefronts. In the case of the new library, the size of which has to grow with the reading public as Pike County grows, having out-grown the Community House, and offering public spaces such as an auditorium for the community’s use, the uproar demanding that we build something smaller, something that looks like we are living in the 18th century, seems like an effort to keep us from growing. Peter Benton, the architect hired by Milford Borough to review the new library design, found that a) the scale of the library is too big; b) contemporary designs should be sympathetic with the district’s historic character. If the Pinchots faced the above points as listed by Mr. Benton, Forest Hall would never have been built in Milford. This town would be like any other tens of thousands of characterless towns across America with no significant buildings to speak of. Mr. Benton says we must keep the scale of the library down to a residential scale. The entire Harford Street to the left and right of the library lot has nothing but commercial businesses - why would we force the library to be on a residential scale? Rite Aid wants to demolish a historic building in order to grow bigger. Why would we want a smaller library? Mr. Benton wants contemporary buildings to be sympathetic with the district’s historic character. First of all, that is oxymoronic. Twenty-first century architecture and historic architecture look totally different. Twenty-first century technology affords us better building materials. Twenty-first century living also demands a different interior environment. Why build in the style of yesteryear when electricity was not invented and eco-energy efficiency was not a consideration? Second, there are some pretty ugly buildings around that lot - to be truly sympathetic (meaning not stand out,) are we to building something just as ugly? Where is the rule that says we must look like we are a town that was built in the 18th and 19th century, thereafter abandoned? Reggie Cheong-Leen Milford Owner of Forest Hall