Not a fan of new High Street design

I often visit what is known as Old Town Moorpark, specifically High Street, spending my money at the various shops and restaurants. The old hardware store and The Cactus Patch are two of my favorites. Coming from the blandness that is Simi Valley, I find Old Town to be a refreshing change of pace from the beige stucco "Spanglish" architecture and consumer-driven designs.

So I now see what some developer thinks is an "improvement" on the front page of the Dec. 7 Moorpark Acorn and I can tell you I will not spend my dollars there. It looks like just another overbuilt, over-scaled strip mall devoid of the character that once defined Moorpark. Two-story buildings right on the sidewalk? What are you thinking?

You have a perfect building ready for remodeling in the grain depot. Put a nice restaurant and shops in it without ruining the character of the street, something that echoes the rural nature of Moorpark. Look at Old Town San Diego as an example of how to do it right. But certainly not the design offered by Askenazy, which is out of context and rejects the city's history.

If this goes forward as currently planned, it will flop. Back to the drawing board. Marc Atkinson Simi Valley