To the editor:

Please dispel the rumor started by the Journal-World’s editorial stating the Red Lyon “plan[ned] to cut the front off its Massachusetts Street building.”

ALL of the facade was renovated in early 2004 in accordance with the Historical Resources guidelines and city regulations.

The only proposed changes to the Red Lyon facade were to move the glass and doors 10 feet back and open a section of the roof behind the facade.

ALL of the rest of the front, including the window and door frames, would remain. Nothing would look different.

An earlier request to have an outdoor sidewalk area with no facade changes was denied but may be reconsidered.

The editorial asks if “we want Massachusetts Street lined with outdoor … areas that encourage large … crowds to spill into the sidewalks?” The latter is exactly what is happening because downtown businesses that do not have 70 percent of their sales in food are not allowed to have designated sidewalk areas in which to contain and serve their customers.

Why not have a diverse mixture of picturesque and inviting indoor and outdoor serving areas among the offices, banks and retail shops of downtown?

Why not enhance the assortment of downtown offerings to those who walk, work, live and drive there? Why not do everything we can to keep downtown a vital core economic area appealing to a wide spectrum of interests and needs?

We’re trying.

Sue and Jerry Neverve,

Red Lyon, Lawrence