Letters from the Issue of March 24 , 2005

Now, as to gentrification: I believe it cannot be controlled with the present system in place. Banks are always running scared, as well they should, since they play around with other people's money. If they have to choose between T.G.I. Friday's and Charley's Pub -- well, who has the established clientele? Who is sure to pay the rent?

Any scheme to thwart chains is patently unfair. Banana Republic and Starbucks have sweat blood and tears to get to where they are, and fully deserve a crack at emerging markets. More important, present property owners deserve, within design constraints, to share in the American Dream by extracting as much as possible from their newly valuable properties.

But gentrification is not as bad as some think. It has become a valuable urban-development tool. As soon as Wynwood's edge is blunted by the Gap, the romantics will move on to other locales -- for the benefit of the city as a whole. Little Haiti, maybe?

George Childs

Miami

Cape this, cape that -- what's the difference when it's all frozen anyway:To Lee Zimmerman regarding his "Local Heroes" story about Natalie MacMaster (March 3): Cape Bretoners will be surprised and unhappy to learn they have been moved to Newfoundland!

Newfoundland has great music traditions, agreed, but nothing like those of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. It's sort of like saying "Cape Cod, Vermont." It doesn't compute at all.

Bob Bridge

Marathon