Amy Bickford-Gaby of Mystic's suggestion to make Thames River Apartments disappear and, instead, to erect a stand-alone village of individual, compact dwellings with garden and parking spaces is a commendable suggestion. I lived in a somewhat comparable Federal housing project in New Haven, i.e., Elm Haven, from fourth grade (1941) to fourth year at UConn, which you may be surprised to learn was a wonderful experience.

But, in subsequent years, as my third grade educated immigrant father predicted, management changes in the 1950s, lax enforcement of strict rules, and the erection of 10-story additions led to disintegration. But fortunately, New Haven's Elm Haven Housing Authority dismissed half-way measures in favor of tearing down the entire 700 units and did exactly what Amy of Mystic suggests; an entire village of garden apartments. An amazing transformation!

As a postscript, last year my sister and I were driving down Dixwell Avenue on to Webster Street, lo and behold, there's our number 35. But now it's a neat compact duplex, with a gentleman of my age sitting on the porch. I whipped my car into his driveway. We had a great conversation with Jameson and his sister Cecelia.

We were even invited to Cecelia's 75th birthday party.

John Carney

Mystic