We hope our readers will be able to attend the town board hearing about 286 South Street, the former Hallock Chevrolet dealership in the hamlet. It is to become a group of townhouses. The American Legion Hall will be taken down and a smaller version built - with replicas of the Legion plaques expected to be installed on that building. According to Abraham Poznanski, president of Island Properties the new building will be behind the townhouses.

It is sad to see that after all the discussion, the American Legion Hall will be demolished. Mr. Poznanski said it wasn't in good condition. Over the years we have heard those words a great deal. Usually they translate into - it cost too much to fix.

We don't know how you feel about saving the American Legion building. For a while there we had high hopes that it would be incorporated into the site.

We are losing the architectural history of Oyster Bay. It has been going on for so long, it is almost natural that we should lose more of it. It is really sad to hear that the little 17th century house on East Main Street and White Street will be coming down too. Do you remember the old song from the '70s that said, "They paved paradise and put in a parking lot..." The house lot will become a parking lot!

Mr. Poznanski made it quite clear when he told members of the Oyster Bay Civic Association that he is here to revitalize the town and not renovate or restore it. We were under the impression that the Main Street Association was a branch of the National Historic Preservation Association and that they believe strongly that preserving the historic value of an area is in the best interests of revitalizing a town. How come that is being ignored?

If we keep hacking away at what's left of this 350-year-old town, where will we be? America is a young nation. It is not like Europe, where buildings can be many hundreds of years old.

Well, the hearing at town hall is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10 at 10 a.m. in the morning, not a time when everyone is available to attend. We are hoping someone will agree with us that the meeting should be rescheduled for a night hearing so that a great many residents can attend and hear the presentation and see the plans. This is the first of many Island Properties plans to be unfolded. Please try to attend. As of now the hearing will be on June 10 at 10 a.m. Call 624-6380 for more information.

- DFK