The building comes as a relief to seniors feeling cramped in anexisting facility, but to nearby residents and other users of thecommunity park, it comes as an affront to their green space. Therub is the center would result in the paving over of a large partof the existing park south of Parkside Circle, and a 132-spaceparking lot would replace the grassy areas and picnic tables thatcurrently sit to the north of Bonifacio Street.

This, of course, would be in addition to 14 months ofconstruction noise, and the subsequent parking lot flood lightsthey say will shine in their bedroom windows at night. Mayor LauraHoffmeister, aware of the concerns, is promising to evaluate anyissues before starting construction. In addition, an ad hoccommittee will meet regularly to review the project in itsprogressive stages and decide on any necessary changes.

"These are all very valid concerns, and we will take them intoconsideration before any construction begins," says Hoffmeister."Right now, we are at a conceptual stage, and I feel that we willbe able to work out compromises on these issues as we proceed. This(ad hoc) committee will gather input from all the neighbors whowill be affected by this new center."