RE "MAGNIFICENT but misguided" (Editorial, April 24): With the oceans reported to be rising, no city in its right mind would plan a new city hall - or anything else - on the waterfront. Nor should it be away from the central location of the present City Hall.
Understandably, the Boston Redevelopment Authority is itching to redevelop something that it sees as "at the end of its useful life" and "needs to come down," and to build a new "architecturally magnificent" City Hall.
So why not redevelop the current building?
If a beautiful luxury hotel can be made of an old horror like the Charles Street Jail, then designers exist who could turn the prison-like interior and the brick frying-pan plaza of City Hall into something human.
In the Near East, modern buildings are built of stone or of molded concrete. They, too, would sit blazing in the sun were it not for the relief of bold placements, indoors and out, of huge green plants and trees, cascading vines, flower beds, fountains and pools, chandeliers, patterned carpeting, and oriental rugs. One hotel in Amman, Jordan, had a local brook diverted to run right through the lobby.
One thing is sure: A makeover wouldn't cost a tenth of the suggested plan to demolish and rebuild City Hall, and provide visitors with scuba gear to find the redevelopment authority office.
KATHRYN M. FAIRBANKS
Roslindale
