I agree with guest columnist Alex Kahn’s questions regarding the huge lot next to Foster Farrar (“King Street: Deciding the future of the gateway to Northampton,” Gazette, Feb. 16). Available, affordable and convenient housing has long been a goal for Northampton. The city has no problem squeezing multiple expensive homes onto single house lots (e.g. Warner Street and proposed at Garfield and Landry streets in Florence). Wouldn’t the location such as that next to Foster Farrar be an ideal one for housing development while not destroying small neighborhoods? Talk about a perfect housing location.

Yes, it is true that the cleanup there will be costly. But the times are ripe to access clean-up support. The city of Northampton needs to roll up its sleeves and make this happen. A Volvo dealership will not get us closer to achieving stated housing goals.

Elaine Kersten

Florence