Editorial: A worthy project for veterans
Philip Moschitta, left, director of the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Ronald Brattain, center, chief engineer for the medical center, and Maria Favale, associate director of the medical center, at the site of the proposed assisted living facility on Friday, April 4, 2014. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
The Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center seems like a good place for a 110-unit assisted living facility. There's plenty of room on the 268-acre campus of Long Island's only veterans hospital for the 10 acres needed, and there are plenty of veterans who could use such a place to live. The facility would give preference to veterans, who would receive both independence and the support they need. Units not needed for veterans could be rented by others. But some neighbors are concerned that the facility could increase traffic. That seems unlikely, and the sentiment seems ungracious.
A 2010 study on a similar project suggested traffic increases of less than 2 percent in the morning and less than 4 percent in the evening. This facility won't burden drivers, but let's say it did: Would that really be a reason not to build it for our veterans?
