As a long-term West End resident and former 15-year music director of the Williston-West Church, I was enormously excited to read your Oct. 17 report (“Portland church renovation OK’d by Maine high court”) on the state supreme court’s ruling to overturn the lower court’s ruling and allow Frank Monsour to renovate and develop the building for the purposes he clearly made known when he purchased it.

To me, it was the height of hypocrisy for the Western Promenade Neighborhood Association to fight him on this, as for many years the church’s parish house contained secular businesses and meetings that brought revenue to the church and affected neighborhood parking far more than Mr. Monsour’s 14-employee software business will.

I cannot imagine that the many West End restaurants and services are less than thrilled that there will be a cache of well-employed people coming in.

The reviving of the beautiful and great-sounding sanctuary as a community hall is incredibly exciting, and I hope Mr. Monsour considers properly restoring the historic Skinner pipe organ that is in there for concerts. It was a sad loss when the church had to close its doors there, and I take this development as great news for the city and community.

For those who may not know, the building’s status on the National Register of Historic Places requires Mr. Monsour to leave the exterior of the building as original, so its significance and beauty will not be lost. Congratulations and bravo to Frank Monsour!

James McGirr

Portland

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