Our Town: New WP architect brings fresh eyes

Dr Tom Ferraro

Question: Why do people go to Paris?

Answer: To gaze upon beauty.

It’s  true that I am off to Paris in two weeks.  

I consider it a hunting expedition to find out what real beauty looks like. Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Le Pont Neuf, the Tuillieres Gardens.  

And I will not be alone in my quest. 

The world goes to Paris to learn about beauty. Why do you think all those American ex-patriots like Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Henry Miller moved there?  Seeing all those beautiful apartment buildings that line the Seine is truly a life changing experience.   

Paris was designed by the world’s finest architects and the world owes them a great debt. So you can imagine how happy I was when I noticed a sign go up across from my office here in Williston Park which read “Jared Mandel Architect” right there on Hillside Avenue.   

Now was my chance to pick the brain of one of these creative geniuses so I quickly gathered my pen and pad and camera and off I went to interview him. 

Jared is a relatively young architect trained at Pratt Institute, one of the best art and design colleges.  

I learned he builds both residential and commercial properties on Long Island and Manhattan. I asked of his philosophy and he said he follows the harmonic rules of Andrea Palladio a Venetian architect from the 16th century. 

Palladian architecture is seen in Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and in the White House. It derives from ancient Greek architecture and adheres to 3.5 to 4.5 ratios. Whatever that is.

As residents of Williston Park we are lucky enough to live close to some of America’s favorite pieces of architecture including The Empire State Building, the UN building, Yankee Stadium, The Guggenheim, Citicorp and the Brooklyn Bridge.  

And my vote for the most interesting and nicest looking store in Williston Park is Hildebrandt’s. There is something charming and wonderful about the entire place.  

So I began to ask Jared what he thought of the state of suburban architect knowing full well that James Kunstler, author of “Geography of Nowhere,” has expressed profound and telling criticisms of the look and the functioning of suburbia.  Jared disagreed and told me it’s a good time for suburban architecture because many homeowners are now converting their capes and Levit homes into more interesting structures.  

He said that “ architecture is based upon creativity and technical knowledge and that you can do wonderful things with a simple home.”  

I am a strong  believer in using professionals to help beautify your home.  I invested large money in my landscaping by using the Hick’s nursery design team and I am happy that I did. 

There is a special satisfaction when you drive to your home and are pleased with  how your home and garden looks. Life is at best a troubling affair with all its aches and pains and ugliness and disappointments. 

So in some way it’s wonderful to be able to control and beautify your little plot of land.  

They say a man’s home is his castle and the home with the white picket fence is a definitive symbol  of the American dream. 

So say welcome to Jared Mandel our new architect. It’s good to know that we have a young and talented architect to help in this quest for beauty.  I am sure I will use him some day in the future. 

That is after I return from Paris and bring home some good ideas on how to design beautiful environments.

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