An obituary, and a renewed sense of loss over the West End

The headline to Bryan Marquard’s obituary of Jerome Rappaport could not have been more painful (“Civic leader who helped shape Boston: Builder and philanthropist sought to ‘rebuild the city,’ ” Page A1, Dec. 7).

With the West End project, Rappaport certainly rebuilt the city, but at what cost?

I was only a teenager when the wrecking ball came down on the West End to promote urban renewal and “development.” I had no language to describe what I saw and felt then. However, I do now. It was forced relocation.