Open Thread Mondays: Blown Up

Yikes. I wasn’t prepared for the slew of e-mails, texts and phone calls I received “congratulating” me for getting quoted in the Daily News this weekend. If you haven’t seen it yet, they did a story about the Corbin Place house I blasted last week for being out-of-character. And I’m not so happy with the story.

It’s not a critique about the reporter. It’s just that I didn’t think the story merited citywide attention (though the issue does), and thought her efforts would be better spent elsewhere. I also didn’t realize we were speaking for quotation – I thought the reporter wanted background – but that’s more my fault than hers.

Honestly, though, my problem with the story is that I felt for the family whose home it is. I spent most of my conversation with the reporter trying to convince her that it wasn’t worth it to put this family in the spotlight. Apparently I failed.

Yes, it’s an ugly house and scars the block, in my opinion. But I highlighted it to spark discussion about the larger issue (the absence of aesthetic considerations in zoning laws), not to shame the family. And yes, I threw a barb their way for humor’s sake, but I do wish them the best of luck.

So, this is my open thread today – sharing my regret that the story brought so much attention to a family just trying to enjoy their home. So, if they’re reading this, I apologize. I do hope we, as a community, can have this conversation. But the vitriol and the spotlight shouldn’t be pointed at you.