L.A. Parker was absolutely right to ask about the City’s redevelopment plans, especially in light of our recent press conference announcing the demolition of 17 dilapidated houses in the West Ward on Sweets and Fountain Avenues. A city’s future is shaped by how it addresses its challenges, including aging infrastructure. However, while Parker’s column raised some valid concerns, it missed the broader context of what Trenton is doing to address these issues and how these demolitions fit into a larger, proactive redevelopment strategy. Had Parker attended the press conference or even posed his questions to the City for responses,  he would have discovered that these demolitions are just one part of a much larger, transformative plan for the area. Trenton, in collaboration with Trenton’s Housing Authority and School Board, has been actively working to reimagine the triangular neighborhood spanning from the Battle Monument to Donnelly Homes and Capital Health Systems. This effort is anchored in our successful application for the federal Choice Neighborhood Grant Award. To clarify, Trenton competed with 36 urban cities nationwide for this prestigious grant, including cities like Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, and Syracuse. Only seven cities won the award, and Trenton was one of them—an acknowledgment of both our need and the strength of our redevelopment plan. Our proposal wasn’t put together in isolation; over two dozen partners, including Capital Health Systems, the Smith Foundation, Trenton Health Team, the State of New Jersey, Mercer County, and others, dedicated resources and matching dollars to support this project. Even First Lady Tammy Murphy pledged to establish a $70 million Maternal Health Center in the neighborhood, a testament to the comprehensive vision we have for the area. The City is also conveying 100 properties to the Housing Authority to create mixed-use housing that spans different economic levels, ensuring a balanced community rather than a concentration of poverty. As part of the $15 million grant, there are five phases of development. Phase 1 is the transformation of the old Junior 1 school grounds on MLK Boulevard into senior housing. Phase 2 will redevelop Sweets, Fountain Avenues (the very streets that Parker contends we are taking down without a plan), and Sanford Street into mixed-use, multi-level housing aimed at homeownership. Future phases will focus on the redevelopment of Donnelly Homes, mirroring the transformation of Page Homes into Turner’s Pointe. In short, the City’s efforts to demolish these 17 properties are not an isolated event but a necessary step in a broader, well-thought-out plan to revitalize this area of the West Ward. There is a strategy, and one we should all be proud of. Rather than lamenting the loss of these structures, which in many cases are beyond repair, we should celebrate the fact that the City of Trenton is positioning itself to grow and thrive. In posing questions, Parker does his job as an opinion writer. But in this case, he missed the larger story: Trenton is not just tearing down—we are building up. — Reed Gusciora Mayor, City of Trenton