Should We Save Stamford's Elegant Copper Beech Tree?

This Solitary Stately Copper Beech Tree is at the Center of Sympathy and Controversy

The Stamford Advocate has turned loose its best writers (first Elizabeth Kim : A Historic Downtown Stamford Tree Faces Possible Demise and then Angela Carella: Tree That Rose with City is Threatened) advocating that we turn our attention to saving a piece of Stamford's green history, a majestic Copper Beech Tree that stands at the entrance of the Old Stamford Advocate building at Tresser Blvd and Washington Blvd. ; this building, which functioned as the Advocate's headquarters for less than 30 years was built around a tree that perhaps is nearly 200 years old.

A Norwalk developer has submitted plans to build a complex on this site which does not include saving this tree!

Granted, there is a lot of sentimentality surrounding the possible demise of the tree as Jack Shaw, former publisher of the Advocate reports; he lobbied strongly and successfully to save the tree back in 1978 when building plans were formulated for the newspaper's 'new' hi tech facility; in Ms. Kim's article, he is quoted as saying, 'It would be a wonderful entrance to an apartment house.'

Furthermore, Ms. Carella's informs us that "reporters used to fight for seats near the window so they could look at the copper beech while they wrote their stories . The dark green leaves have red veins, which makes then look purple in the sunlight...In autumn, the leaves turn deep red with a coppery sheen."

All well and said. But perhaps, we are overlooking a fundamental underlying issue.

Does our downtown adequately serve its residents, workers and visitors with enough downtown green havens-- parks small and large-- with benches to enjoy a lunch or brief respite while walking around?

Recently, I spent a few hours walking and photographing the downtown area around the Government building at 777 Washington Blvd across from the abandoned Advocate site. What is apparent to me is that no park space has been dedicated to the public. (the nearby Mill River cherry tree project is incomplete) Adequate parking yes! Thank you city fathers for an ample free city garage adjacent to 777. Across the street on Washington, UBS has a magnificent lawn space in front of their headquarters, but no shaded public use areas. Ditto for the RBS facility which is on the same side as the Advocate Building.

Isn't it time, we citizens demand of our public officials a master plan for developers and downtown business to dedicate public use shaded greens to enhance the downtown area?

Scalzi Park is a great public recreation area and we are all proud of it, but a shade too far of a walk to be included in the downtown area!

Perhaps, saving the copper beech will awaken us to the myriad visions and possibilitlies to enhance the prospective beauty of our city.