Daily Hampshire Gazette - Response to Editorial By Green Street Cafe

Published on GazetteNET (http://www.gazettenet.com)
Cafe owners cite promise to be 'kept whole'
By Daily Hampshire Gazette
Created 12/01/2009 - 10:00

To the editor:
We strongly disagree with the Nov. 25 editorial "Cafe's fight isn't city's." The city of Northampton and the mayor should most certainly be involved in a solution to help keep the Green Street Cafe alive.
We think it is apparent that Smith College President Carol Christ has enlisted the help of Mayor Clare Higgins in forcing us into financial ruin through tactics to remove us from the neighborhood to make way for the new Ford Hall.
Their activities over the past few years have led to a deterioration of our business to the point that a court battle over our lease is not one that we want or are able to afford. They have violated the terms of our lease and current zoning laws, removed our parking and are winning the battle to choke our business to death.
However, over 3,000 citizens signed our petition asking for the city's intervention with Smith and the City Council also has voted to help seek a solution. Before the construction of Ford Hall began, we were told we would be "kept whole."
Instead, Smith has succeeded in ruining our business, which has served the Northampton community for more than 20 yeas.
We are appealing to the city once again and to Smith College to make good on their promise.
John Sielski
Jim Dozmati
Green Street Cafe owners
Northampton
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