By ELIZABETH DAIGNEAU — I found [the April Letter to the Editor concerning the Werrlein Properties’ proposal] to be in extremely poor taste. I don’t object to [the writer’s] opposition to the proposed Magruder Pointe development, although I support [the development] and believe our neighborhood will be enhanced by new faces and homes in place of a vacant, deteriorating building. My issue is with [the writer] calling out Karl Granzow. Yes, it’s true that he is a convicted felon. But so what? He has served his time and is now employed by a reputable company, Werrlein Properties. His past has no bearing whatsoever on this project.
If nothing else, the debate over the development should be devoid of personal attacks and insults. Each of us has a perfectly valid reason for supporting or opposing it without bringing up someone’s past mistakes.
My husband and I own one of the new houses that Werrlein Properties built on Hamilton Street. We’ve heard those that oppose this project refer to the homes as “insignificant infill” and “drab,” among other things. We are sorry some residents of Hyattsville feel this way. We love our new home, and we feel lucky to be a part of this amazing community. We hope the discourse involving the Magruder Pointe development can be more high-minded.
Elizabeth Daigneau is a Hyattsville resident and an editor and writer with Governing magazine in Washington, D.C.
