Letters from the week of May 17

Janovy, May 3Connect the 'Dotte

I absolutely loved C.J. Janovy's column on the young Wyandotte County librarian! I learned some interesting things about my adopted county. I live near KU Med Center. My mom was a librarian, my cousin Patricia is a young librarian who takes books to youth detention centers, and I'm a library sub.

I really like the way Janovy thinks. Last Sunday, I went on a group prayer walk from Sanctuary of Hope to Shalom Catholic Worker House in KCK. We stopped at several sites, such as Pamela Butler's house, the house where a young girl died from a fire set maliciously with firecrackers, and various other sites to pray for peace and nonviolence. I remember thinking that everyone deserves safe, decent housing, especially children.

Thanks for writing a great piece.

Ann Suellentrop, Kansas City, Kansas"Real Loft Living," May 3Dwell On It

Thanks to the Pitch for providing perspective on what tenants of the Library Lofts can expect. I am one. In its brief history, the Library Lofts has been clean, comfortable and safe, and at other times has been none of these.

Last summer's cutback of security allowed a sharp rise in late-night and early morning noise in the buildings, trash in the halls, vomit and urine in the stairwells and elevators (some of this was from pets), vandalism and theft. The building had been accessible by anyone at any time. Word got out. People who didn't live there threw parties in the pool. The partiers left cigarette butts and trash, broke the steam room's door, shattered beer bottles in the pool and hot tub, and gave residents a few 3 a.m. fire drills. Eventually, transients began to camp in common-area bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements. They stole things from tenant storage areas and began breaking into apartments during the workday.

Library Lofts' management came to recognize this as undesirable and reinstituted a security service. The burglaries, vandalism and late-night racket plummeted. In recent weeks, the building has pushed to make common areas clean and maintained. The elevators have been fixed. Granted, security was again cut back after a few months of calm, and we have yet to see the promised upgrade to locks on the doors of utility closets adjacent to each apartment.

Library Lofts' management and owners owe the Pitch a note of gratitude for the accurate representation of a small but noteworthy portion of the three buildings' problems and opportunities for improvement. You made a significant, positive contribution to the development of downtown KC.

Name withheld by request Correction:Contrary to what we reported in "Real Loft Living," Library Lofts has repaid a $1.5 million loan it received from the now-defunct Housing and Economic Development Financial Corporation. The loan was paid on November 14, 2006.

Night & Day, May 3Our House

It was a kick to open the Pitch and see a photo of my great-grandfather's erstwhile house at 31st Street and Troost — correctly identified in your calendar section as having belonged to William J. Smith! Very fun! My mother (age 96) will be interested to see it, and maybe my cousin and I will try to get to the Troost Avenue Festival and see if we can channel our great-grandparents.

Anne Canfield, Kansas City, Missouri Correction: The e-mail address for the Kansas City Bike Escort service was listed incorrectly in the May 10 issue (Night & Day, page 24). It's k.c.bikeescorts@gmail.com.