In 1986 there were eight buildings identified by the Nassau County Division of Museum Services as candidates for National Register recognition located in Plandome Manor, today there are six. As a former Plandome Manor Village Trustee from 1987-89 and Village Historian from 1987-96, I tried without success to convince the Village Board of Trustees to enact a historic preservation law.

Having written A Complete History of Plandome Manor for the Long Island Forum Magazine (July and August 1981) I knew firsthand just how historically valuable these properties were. Members of the board of trustees asked me to come with guidelines for writing local preservation laws and setting up an architectural review board, which I did by contacting public officials in Sands Point, Roslyn, Society for the Preservation of Long Island, Friends of Long Island Heritage, the Nassau County Museum Services, Town of North Hempstead Planning Commission and Historic Preservation Commission, and the State Historic Preservation Commission. I was asked to have some of these officials come to board meetings to answer questions put to them by the trustees, village attorney, building inspector, zoning board members and the owners of historic properties, who were kept in the loop at all times.

It all seemed an exercise in futility though, as village officials were reluctant to pass a law that was not 100 percent supported by the owners of historic properties. Louise Dean, who inherited the Plandome Road Manor House from her father Gabriel Allen, was the lone holdout. While she personally appreciated old houses, she felt a person's life was her own business, and though she told me she would never wish to sell to a contractor, changing times took precedence over historic value.

When a portion of the old Mill, dating back to 1693, was sold and demolished at 1 Water Lane and replaced with a huge modern house, village residents were outraged. The new owner, a developer from Queens who told me there was no room to build in that borough anymore, was willing to give the historic building away. I tried to drum up interest, but there were no takers. Unfortunately, the only parts of that house Nassau County Museum Director Ed Smits felt worth saving were some windows and doors to use as replacement for other houses of that period at Old Bethpage Village Restoration.

A number of months ago I was surprised when Mrs. Dean tracked me down. Agitatedly over the phone, she asked how she could get her house recognized as historic to keep from losing it pending some legal and financial actions. I sent her the historic material I'd written about the house to bolster whatever chance she had. Sadly, it was a matter of too little too late for both Mrs. Dean and the Village of Plandome Manor.

Bea Tusiani

Your corespondent of Dec. 3, Ruth Bechtold, states that everyone should become informed of the pros and cons of the proposed supermarket in what she terms "the Filene's Shopping area." I agree. But something more than sloganeering is advisable.

In accord with that exhortation to become informed, has she read the long analytical article on current trends in supermarkets on page C1 of Business Day of The New York Times (11/13/98), entitled "Supersizing the Supermarkets: Discounters and Mergers Alter Balance of Power"? On p. C5, the article notes that the life of "independents" is going to be very short. Ten major chains are listed. Significantly, King Kullen is not among them. "Many," the article concludes, "lack the resources to compete with megastores that sell 20 kinds of olives and practically give away orange juice to lure customers...The quirkiness of the market extends to New York suburbs too...Chains like Grand Union and A&P have struggled for years."

Perhaps, however, Bechtold believes that King Kullen can compete on its own. But has she driven to Bridgehampton to see the relatively new King Kullen megastore there -- and what it sells and services other than food (including a dry cleaners and shoe repair service within the supermarket) and the enormous traffic congestion it has generated there? Northern Boulevard in Manhasset will become more of a legend than Montauk Highway in the Hamptons. Bechtold appears willing to accept that situation: "A successful one [developer] by definition brings shoppers and traffic to the site." Has she considered, however, the problem that emergency vehicles (police, fire ambulances, etc,) will have in getting through." Or, how long it may take for an emergency ambulance to get to South Strathmore and back again to North Shore Hospital, for example?

The proposed Kimco complex has King Kullen as its current principal tenant. Kimco seems to have adroitly directed the debate to King Kullen alone. Many of its proponents would seem to, or would like to, ignore that it includes as well a group of satellite stores. Has anyone heard from Kimco (or does Bechtold know) how many and what type these stores will be? Does anyone know? If so, they are not telling. Surely Kimco is not. Are we being asked to approve this site without knowing what is going to really happen here? Has Bechtold considered the devastation a supersized supermarket and its satellite stores will wreck on the businesses on Plandome Road. Virtually every product or service now on Plandome Road is in Kullen's megastore in Bridgehampton. If we think there are too many vacant stores on Plandome Road now, it would shortly resemble downtown Riverhead or Hempstead. In fact, this could also have a rather substantial effect on Americana. Why would all those shoppers from Great Neck and Queens be likely to endure having to travel through such a traffic bottleneck in Manhasset.

Bechtold seems to rely ultimately on the slogan, "Manhasset needs a supermarket." Is she aware that there is already another supermarket in the Manhasset area other than the Waldbaum's in Americana. It is also called Waldbaum's. It is on East Shore Road. It is less than five minutes from the proposed location of King Kullen near Filene's. It is newer and larger than the Americana in Waldbaum's. Is that too far for Bechtold to travel to avoid the devastating impact on this project? Other places available to her to shop in are Fresh Fields - Munsey Park, Trunz, King Kullen and Grand Union in Port Washington, Pathmark in Wheatley and Pathmark in New Hyde Park Road as well as the shops on Plandome Road - all within easy reach.

Richard C. Clark