To The Editor:
Amanda Kludt’s article, “Closings & change for Li’l Italy vets” (news article, Jan. 21- 27), puts a human face on the escalating commercial rents. This has been going on for decades and across the city. I recall a desperate storeowner on Grand St., near Jackson St., placed a pleading placard in his window stating: “My rent was $1,200. Now the landlord is demanding $6,000. Please help me. Contact Mayor Koch.” He vacated shortly afterwards.
Readers may be interested to understand that the decisions and attitudes of the landlords and real estate leaders are, to a very large degree, determined by the consciousness of the masses. The hardened materialism (“whatever the market will bear”), greed, selfishness, callous indifference, cruelty, etc., are a mirror reflection of the values, attitudes and priorities of the masses.
Michael Gottlieb
WWW Downtown Express
