Several weeks ago, I wrote a column asking where have all the issues gone? The media seemed more intent on listening to Hillary and hounding Governor George W. Bush than reporting on significant issues of concern to the public. As a result of that piece, I received a very interesting email from Stephen C. Cipot. Stephen is very involved with the Foundation to Preserve Long Island's International Heritage.

The Foundation is interested in preserving the Sperry Gyroscope site in the Village of Lake Success. After phone conversations with Stephen Cipot, Marianna Wohlgemuth wrote to me about the Foundation's interests. She said, in her letter, "We believe this site represents a sense of pride in where we live."

The history of the Sperry Gyroscope building is quite interesting and many of us are not aware of the purpose it served after World War II. Not only did the gyroscope represent a milestone in military technology, it also impacted the post-war era. And the building housed the United Nationals Security Council from 1946 to 1951. From UN deliberations during that era, the State of Israel was born and the Korean conflict evolved.

Lockheed-Martin, the current owner, plans to demolish the building and re-develop the 93-acre site. Without approval of Lake Success and the Town of North Hempstead, no demolition or construction can take place.

The Foundation has raised the question as to whether the Sperry building is an historic landmark. The answer to that question is very clear. The New York State Historic Preservation Office has determined that the building in Lake Success is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The Town of North Hempstead's Master Plan Implementation Committee has called for the creation of a United Nations museum on this site. One important issue is how to finance the creation of a museum?

The Foundation wants to preserve the building in such a way as to provide historical enrichment for Long Island's future. The group envisions the use of the facility as a laboratory for a better understanding of the work of the United Nations. As the Cold War developed right after World War II, the old Sperry building played a unique historical role in the birth of the United Nations. Preserving the building for the future will require significant financial support.

In that connection, and if you would like to learn more about the work of the Foundation with regard to the Sperry building, call Marianna Wohlgemuth at 326-1243. Mr. Cipot and Ms. Wohlgemuth have certainly raised an issue for Long Islanders to consider.