A Commentary
Rose Mary Pagley Flanagan of Florida wrote this after seeing, on this website, the photo of Zambelli Plaza at the corner of East Washington and Mill streets.
A sincere thanks to Bob Melder for the picture of the Zambelli Plaza.
I would like to give my impression of the Plaza. When that block on Mill Street was a big part of downtown New Castle going from north to south there was Pagley's Shoe Shop, (est. 1928), The Sweet Shop, McGrath Flowers, Klafters, (Judy Sliverman's family business), John's News, a Ladies Shop, and Kerr's Jewelry.
I knew all the owners and was a pest at John's where I would buy a coke and candy bar for a quarter and read the magazines. That was when New Castle had a real downtown and I was a fixture at Pagley's Shoe Shop.
It is good to see that some restoration is happening in the city, but it is my opinion that a prime location like Mill Street should have a building that would house commerce or government.
The plaza is nice but that block was so much more in its time and could become more to revive downtown New Castle.
Thank you for the trip to way-back-when and for letting me express my opinion.
