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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. September 3, 2007: Letterwriters have been remembering the White Plains of the past. This is what White Plains 2007 looks like today, looking South towards New York City.
White Plains Today.
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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Flying Photographer. September 2, 2007: Perhaps never in this reporter’s memory has the northeast enjoyed such a perfect weather Labor Day Weekend. The weather was perfect on the “New England Riviera” — Block Island — the home of the five hour vacation — with swimmers from tots to teens to adults enjoying the rolling waters of the crystal blue Atlantic. Vacationers arrived by ferry and plane strolling Ocean Avenue, biking the island, shopping the bookstores and studios and enjoying lobster rolls, steamed clams and clam chowder. Block Island is the perfect five hour vacation and Sunday it was perfect.
It was the last summer weekend to get sand in your sandals, a sunbronzed complexion, and dip into the therapeutic waters of the Atlantic with just a hint of autumn in the westerly sea breeze.
The New England Riviera: Approach to Block Island. Yachts fill New Harbor.
The Breathtaking sweep of Mansion Beach washed by long rolling Atlantic breakers.
Classic Victorian Hotels Stare out to the bustling harbor on Ocean Avenue filled with Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. America getting a last 5 hour vacation.
The Beach on the Atlantic looking out to Old Harbor Point. Sea breeze, ocean peace and a last summer fling.
View from balcony enjoying a Lobster Roll.
The weatherbeaten Victorian grand dame hotels evoke a relaxing slower pace of a century ago.
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WPCNR’S The Real Deal by The Wedding Jeannie. September 2, 2007: Labor Day weekend signals, among other things, the faux conclusion to summer, the return to real work and full time school, the closeting of most things white, the slow end to parties that revolve around paper plates and ice chests and the close of the wedding season. Yeah, and if you believe the last one, it’s a good thing that you are reading this.
This is the first column of The Real Deal; a weekly feature that will give readers the actual scoop, inside details, true stories and substantiated facts on weddings and entertaining. As the owner of a wedding planning firm in
And there is no better place to start a tutorial on weddings and events than with a few commonly disputed and widely disparate facts and figures on weddings and entertaining. CNN reported in 2002 that if the wedding industry were a company, it would be the 5th largest company in the world. The statistics of how much are spent on weddings in the
It’s also important to note that it’s never clear – in any study – what the statistics include. For instance, would a rehearsal dinner, brunches and showers be included in most of those calculations? That’s a question we have been asking for 7 years. Would these figures include the $4 billion in furniture, $3 billion in house wares or $400 million in tableware that is purchased by engaged couples. And do these statistics include registry information which are amounts not included in wedding statistics because its not money spent by the couple. We will have a separate column on gifts and registries later in the fall, but it’s important to note that gifts from registries these days are often in line or greater than the price per person paid by the couple – would these figures therefore warrant separate tabulation?
What is certainly clear is that the wedding industry is a financial force with which to be reckoned and it’s only going to grow. Next week’s column will provide greater insight into the day to day statistics of weddings, national averages and the danger of following these figures too closely. And we would be remiss in discussing weddings and entertaining if we did not talk about the astronomical rise in first birthday party fees, home catered events and the sky rocketing costs of holiday events.
So while Labor Day is not the end of the wedding season – a common misconception (in the north east, September and October are the most popular months of the year to get married) – it is the start of The Real Deal and over time, we hope to provide you with a full arsenal of tools and knowledge to always be prepared regardless of the season.
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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. August 31, 2007: Judge Barbara Leak of White Plains City Court ruled earlier this week in favor of Cappelli Enterprises in its effort to evict The Corner Nook café and Continental Foods from the 240 Main Street block, where the development firm plans to build affordable housing to satisfy its obligation to the city prior to opening The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The Ritz-Carlton Westchester is also reporting on its website that the Ritz at 221 Main Street will open in November, not October as previously planned.
The Corner Nook/Continental Deli legal dispute with Cappelli Enterprises was ruled on this week. The Nook must vacate 240 Main Street by October 31, according to its owner, speaking to WPCNR today.
Jim Benerofe, the White Plains Week commentator, broke the news on the weekly news roundup show. White Plains Week this evening on White Plains Public Access Television. According to the owner of The Corner Nook, Peter Dimitrakakis, speaking to the CitizeNetReporter, this afternoon Judge Leak’s court order stipulates he must be out of the premises as of October 31. It could not be learned directly from the Cappelli organization if demolition would commence promptly November 1 for construction of the affordable housing the Cappelli organization owes the city as part of the Ritz-Carlton project.
The Nook has been living on borrowed time since 2002 when Cappelli Enterprises purchased the complex. Meanwhile the Corner Nook has reaped a fortune in breakfast, lunch and break business from the construction workers swarming over the City Center project from 2001 to 2003, and now the 221 Main Ritz Hotel project under construction from 2004 to the present.
A falling out between developers Martin Ginsburg and A. J. Rotundi created a cross-suit between the two partners making the erection of the Ginsburg Development Corporation Pinnacle indefinite at this time. The Pinnacle development, followers of WPCNR will recall, was going to incorporate affordable units in its Pinnacle project and fulfill Cappelli affordable housing obligations. Since Mr. Rotundi and Mr. Ginsburg have been in litigation, the question of Cappelli Enterprise obligations to build the affordable apartments has been in the air.
Cappelli Enterprises, owing 41 units of constructed affordable housing 17 on the City Center project and 24 as its quota owed the City on its Ritz-Carlton project has pursued two options: building affordable units in the City Center Parking Garage facility under the New York Sports Club or building units on the Corner Nook site.
Judge Barbara Leak’s decision now allows Cappelli Enterprises to begin construction on the affordable units, which will allow them to obtain Certificates of Occupancy for not only the Ritz-Carlton Hotel complex, but also the condominium Residences at the Ritz-Carlton.
WPCNR awaits details on Cappelli Enterprise plans for the affordable housing from the Cappelli organization.
THE RITZ TODAY. A Cappelli spokesperson said the hotel would be opening November 14. He said the hotel section of the project was really taking shape.
Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton Westchester website reports the planned opening of the Ritz-Carlton hotel on Main Street will be in November, not October 10 as had been previously stated just two weeks ago. The website reports the hotel will now open in November. Geoffrey Thompson, spokesperson for Capppelli Enterprises said the opening is now scheduled for November 14.
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WPCNR DAILY BAILEY. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. August 31, 2007: There have been a rash of traffic accidents around Westchester County due to high speed in recent months. I have also remarked on how often I get my doors blown off by drivers flooring it way beyond the speed limits on the New York State Thruway and especially I-287, and the Sprain Brook Parkway.
Rolling Across the Heart of America on The Ohio Turnpike.
I almost never see speeders hauled over by a New York State Trooper or a Westchester County Police vehicle. At traffic work zones there are rarely any troopers disciplining traffic merges – this includes county police (responsible for the “International Speedway” – the Sprain Brook Parkway and the Taconic Parkway). Coming into the holiday weekend, I want to share with you what it is like driving in other states
The Ohio Turnpike (the Ohio segment of Interstate 80) is an example. On this road which begins at the Pennsyvania Border and courses across the Buckeye State to Michigan and Indiana, the speed limit is 65 – and good buddy, you better go within five miles of it. The Ohio State Highway Patrol in their white-and-blues hawk this road, stationing two patrol vehicles, one perpendicular to the Westbound lanes, the other perpendicular facing the Eastbound lanes – in close-together segments — and these two-car teams are stationed every 20 miles or so. If you’re over the limit they get you. You also never see them until they see you.
This frequent presence of patrol vehicles inhibits speed. I kid you not, no one was going over 70 the entire length and those that did they were bagged. You become so paranoid about getting a ticket, that even the truckers obey the limit. In New York State, and New Jersey, there seems to be a real reluctance to give high speeding truckers tickets since they haul their loads past me routinely—and I do 5 over the limit.
Now when I roll up the New York State Thruway, if I see two State Police cars between the Tappan Zee Bridge and Albany, that’s a lot. If I see two trooper cars on the Taconic Parkway, that’s a lot. And above Albany, forget about it. Sure it’s a big state. But Ohio is a big state too and they manage to patrol the Turnpike so tightly that 95% of the cars on it drive the limit within 5 miles.
Pennsylvania is the same way. There are not as many of the gray-and-blues in Pennsylvania on I-80, but they are there. What I like about the Pennsylvania roads is that the work zones are well marked and supervised, so the mergers are better.(With one glaring exception on I-78, midway between Allentown and Harrisburg).
In New York State the setups for the road workers are not very well-marked and the mergers non-supervised. (When was the last time you had a trooper out of his or her car supervising a merge in New York State? You never see it. Wednesday night the only traffic delay I had on a 630 mile drive from Michigan was on the idiotic repaving on you guessed the New York State Thruway about 5 miles before the Tappan Zee Bridge – a three lane into one that was not supervised or watched by a uniformed officer). The state police come in very handy on manhunts, but I seriously think their speeding enforcement and deployment at workzones could use a little more energy thought and creativity.
In Westchester County the County Police rarely corral speeders in my experience based on the frequent near-rear-enders I am nearly whacked by at least once a week on I-287, the Sprain Brook and the Cross County. Sedans, SUVs, motorcyclists routinely blow down those highways at a solid 20 miles over the limit. Could the County Police use a little creativity to start stopping this dangerous activity?
You do not have to do much: putting more trooper cars out there is the answer. You can station dummy cars without a patrolperson, but with dummy police officer dolls holding a radar gun on the traffic at certain points. (The phony owls keep pigeons away from public buildings. Let’s apply that concept.) Heaven knows we have three empty County Police Cars parked in front of the Michaelian Building doing nothing every day of the week. Those could be parked on the Sprain, the Taconic as dummy cars.
But the real answer is the Ohio Turnpike technique. You know I was on that road for 5 hours Wednesday and there was not one accident the entire length? Everyone was going the speed limit and was wary Ohio’s finest was watching them. There is a valuable lesson there.
Contrast that with what we see in New York State.
Here are some suggestions. Overpasses should have radar installed to highlight speeders to patrol cars stationed ahead to intercept speeders. Closed circuit TV mounted on overpasses could sweep highways to identify aggressive high speed drivers with troopers positioning themselves based on the television coverage. Message Boards could have written messages warning “will the black Corolla License CPC 449 slow down and pull off at Exit 29, you are speeding, and await the presence of an officer.” That would put a lot of feet on the brakes real fast.
The lesson I learned in traveling the interstates outside New York this week is that their highway patrols tackle speeding very aggressively and creatively. I do not think the New York State Troopers or the Westchester County Police are creative enough or resourceful enough in the efforts they make to enforce the limits on the big roads I mentioned – the Sprain, I-287, I-684, I-84, the Taconic, I-87. In addition, speeding tickets on New York City roads, let alone moving violations and reckless driving, I rarely see strong traffic enforcement within New York City.
Take some notes from Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan – they take traffic enforcement to new level – that our local county and state police should take note of.
If you’re on the Ohio Turnpike this weekend, a word to the wise — Keep it at 65 — you’ll be glad you did. And, just when you expect that there are no more Ohio Highway Patrol cars stationed, well they’ll pick you up. Take it from yours truly it is a very tightly patrolled interstate.
No, I did not get stopped for speeding, Mr. and Mrs. White Plains, but it struck me how simple a concept was being used by the Ohio Highway Patrol to enforce the limit: presence!
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michele Schoenfeld, City School District. (Edited) August 30, 2007: Lesley Tompkins, longtime director of the White Plains High School Marching Band, has been appointed Director of Guidance and Counseling Services, replacing Henry Cafaro, who continues as a staff guidance counselor in the department. A graduate of
Lesley Tompkins, new Director of Guidance and Counseling Services for White Plains High School — at the Spring White Plains Band Concert.
According to Michele Schoenfeld, speaking for the School District, Ms.Tompkins will no longer be leading the renowned White Plains High School Band. Schoenfeld said the districts is currently, addressing the issue of who will lead the band program.
Two new Assistant Principals have also been appointed, they are:
Two new Assistant Principals will join elementary schools, replacing retirees. Jesimae Ossorio will assume this position at
In the central office, Dr. Heidi McCarthy has been appointed Director of Special Programs
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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By John F. Bailey. August 28, 2007: WPCNR has learned Tim James and Elizabeth Schollenberger, leaders of the Democratic City Committee will not file specific objections to the petitions of Robert Stackpole and Robert Levine to appear on the November ballot for Common Council.
Robert Levine said he has been told by informed sources the Democrats will drop their challenge filed with the Board of Elections last week.
This clears the way for a Levine Stackpole appearance on the November city elections ballot as independent candidates for Common Council challening Democrats Benjamin Boykin, Milagros Lecuoa and Dennis Power, and Republicans Cass Cibelli, Anthony Pilla and Augie Zicca and Conservative candidate Candyce Corcoran. It remains to be seen whether or not Corcorcan and incumbent councilman Arnold Bernstein will oust two of the three Democrat candidates in the Democratic Primary coming up September 18. Boykin, Lecuona and Power will still appear on the Working Families ballot in November, even if two of them lose the Democratic Primary.
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WPCNR CITY TICKER. From the Mayor’s Office. August 27, 2007 UPDATED August 28, 2007: David Maloney, Strategic Coordinator for the Mayor’s Office and press liaison announced today he would be leaving his position August 31. As of Tuesday, September 4, Melissa Lopez, Coordinator of Economic Development and Public Information will be handling all media and press inquiries for Mayor Joseph Delfino’s office. Ms. Lopez is reachable at 914-422-1411 or by email at mlopez@ci.white-plains.ny.us. As of 8/31 he will be leaving his position with the Mayor’s Office, Mr. Maloney told WPCNR to take a position with an engineering firm in the area to help them liaison with government agencies on their projects.
Mr. Maloney will be joining Bohler Engineering, based in northern New Jersey, a firm that employs 600 persons and specializes in geotechnical and environmental evaluations, traffic consulting, surveying and landscape design for developmental real estate, including restaurants, schools, subdivisions, shopping centers.
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WPCNR THE SUNDAY BAILEY. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. August 26, 2007: The Common Council received another Thursday surprise play this week from the ever resourceful, creative Delfino Administration Coaching Staff.
The Playbook: The Council was presented with an RFQ– a 15-page Request for Qualifications plus 25 pages of appendices — reportedly after it had been sent to potential developers The purpose: to attract resumes from various development firms demonstrating their qualifications – read experience, connections, expertise, and capital resources – to develop the Urban Renewal Agency Property around the Metro-North Railroad Station.
The RFQ indicates that “upon designation of the Designated Redeveloper…within 30 days” the city would enter into an “Exclusivity Agreement,” and also requires on that designation, a Letter of Credit of $3 Million to “draw down on” to pay for a planning and technical studies and the legal costs for preparing those studies.
This would be a step towards figuring out what to do with the rest of the downtown if the administration had not already sent it out to prospective developers without consulting the Common Council.
Prospective Developers for the Station Area are asked to supply the above “criteria” in the RFQ to be considered to be exclusive Designated Redeveloper for the station.
Seems like any referee might throw a yellow flag because the city seems to have once again jumped offside.
What can the council do now that this RFQ is already out? What developers has it been sent to? They were not told at the Thursday meeting.
High in the Press Box, our play analyst can see what is happening, that the Council linemen cannot see from field level:
The administration is running the same play they ran last May.
It’s a slightly different offensive alignment into the Common Council line than the city coaching geniuses ran last spring. It may look like a straight play into the line, using familiar plays but it’s really just another pass to isolate a Jerry Rice all star developer-receiver behind the secondary after suckering the Common Council in for a routine running play to a Dwight Clark-type short receiver.
It’s the old reliable RFQ –the city’s version of the Statue of Liberty play.
The RFQ play is the play the city ran very successfully to isolate LCOR one on one as the developer of the 10 Bank Street affordable housing/apartment complex WPCNR dubbed “The Bank Street Job.” You remember, that is the $200 Million baby where LCOR is getting $39 Million in tax abatements, plus the city municipal parking lot for a steal? The city sent out an RFQ and rejected developers out of hand without telling the council and used the RFQ as an excuse not to offer the land on the general market, even though national firms whom the city did not contact, were interested in it.
Not only that but LCOR is getting that PILOT over 15 years based on the land value only.
How did that sweetheart deal start? The city sent out an RFQ, decided they did not like the other proposals, but liked LCOR’s qualifications, and picked them then sold it to the Common Council as a wonderful affordable housing project – first with no pilot, then with a PILOT – with possibly the city even financing it. Of course, the council all felt this was soooo politically correct to approve, remember?
Now the wily old quarterback, Joe Delfino, the Joe Montana of development, is calling the RFQ play again.
But much more is at stake than just $39 Million in change in tax abatements for a routine apartment complex and some politically correct affordable housing.
Billions and Billions of Dollars are at stake.
To refresh the Common Council collective memory so they pick up this offensive “set” guys – remember how you were embarrassed into rejecting the Exclusivity Agreement you had no trouble agreeing to when you were first told about it in the weeks prior to May 10 when the plan was officially unveiled to you?
How when the citizenry learned you all (except Dennis Power) knew about the plan to develop Station Plaza before it was presented allegedly for the first time May 10 — you faced outcry and political ramifications and you indicated you would not abide with the Exclusivity Agreement with that developer, which resulted in the developer withdrawing his request for the Exclusivity Agreement on television?
One of the Top Ten Council Most Embarrassing Moments of 2007 wasn’t it?
The play, the Common Council granting an exclusivity agreement is being run again.
But now Joe D is running the RFQ with a twist – designate a Redeveloper before you see what other developers might do with the same area. This takes the LCOR RFQ play to a new dimension.
The new Request for Qualifications sets up an Exclusivity Agreement with a Designated Redeveloper. Will the Council pick this up? They seemed befuddled by this last Thursday
See guys, it starts very subtly. Looks like a normal procedure, but it’s a sucker play.
Shouldn’t the city have asked the Council whether they wanted to go this RFQ route first – before sending out the RFQ?
The sucker play fools the council “secondary” by justifying the designating of a redeveloper because if we designate a redeveloper the redeveloper will pay for the feasibility and planning studies. Doesn’t this sound familiar, Common Council?
The Letter of Transmittal with the RFQ states selection of the Designated Redeveloper will not be based on what that developer might do in the station downtown: to wit “The selection of the Designated Redeveloper will not be based on a predetermined development proposal.”
Will some one explain to me exactly why you would not want to just throw open the possibilities to anyone with the wherewithal? Wasn’t this why the Common Council tossed the Exclusivity Agreement last June 5?
Without knowing what someone else might have in mind how can you possibly make a decent decision on who to redevelop and what? A lot of money does not necessarily translate into a great project.
Is the council serious? Or just saving face? Is this madness?
When the Common Council knew about the proposal in the spring, which is now being repromoted around town, they appeared to like it enough to go along with the Exclusivity Agreement up until it became politically incorrect to do so.
Now, WPCNR also were told by a representative of SL Green/Reckson they are coming in with an office proposal to develop the same area.
Does the fact that the council will already know what one or two developers might do compromise the selection of the Designated Redeveloper?
The RFQ puts other developers at a distinct disadvantage.
The RFQ also gives developers only 30 days to submit their qualifications.
Sounds like a quickie, doesn’t it?
Looks like the same play all over again as last spring, doesn’t it?
The city said last spring they would not put out a request for a proposal because they would have to do studies first costing $1.5 Million.
Instead, now they are putting out an RFQ, to prepick a developer to do their study for them.
Now ostensibly the city administration offensive masterminds will say this RFQ is standard procedure and that it is being done so the city does not have to pay for the studies to develop the area.
Well the city should pay for those studies.
They should select several different consultants to prepare different versions. If we were not so busy burning cash on affordable housing projects, open space no one uses, and parks we let become goose feces farms, maybe the city would have the money right now to pay for those studies.
What about the School District role?
The city school district has a much fatter budget than the city — $174.1 Million to $155 Million.
The city should have the school district pay half of that study money, anyway, because what goes down at the railroad station will affect the schools, too. The study should be a split with the school district, since the district is always asking more cooperation between city and school district. Even the Common Council has said they want the school district included.
Here is the ideal chance to start a new era. The District and the city should jointly fund the study and keep any developer out of it.
Conflict?
Otherwise, if the Designated Redeveloper does the studies there is an obvious conflict of interest in that the studies will tend to reflect what the Designated Redeveloper wants to do in the area. Sure, the city selects the study consultants, but it is always amazing how the consultants tailor things so as not to make waves.
I have yet to see feasibility studies paid for by a developer for a project that recommend the project the developer envisions does not work. We happen to recall one study that said the Main Street sewer could handle the effluent from a development and apartment towers effluent, however, the Commissioner of Public Works fought for a relining of the sewers based on his experience, holding out heroically to prevent “catastrophic” overflows he envisioned, which he saw would happen.
But good news, Common Council and Mr. and Mrs. White Plains!
According to the Budget and Management Committee meeting Wednesday evening of last week, they all think the city is in great shape financially.
So what’s $3 Million out of pocket, with the cash from the LCOR project, the city has that money – if it has not already been spent it to balance our budget that “is in great shape.”
Besides, we would not want any expense spared in preparing a definitive study of the area, would we?
What do you think, Council? Is it time to drop back into man-to-man and doubleteam this isolation play – the RFQ – which obviously favors any Redeveloper who already has a plan you might know about and are familiar with – and that you liked in the first place? (At least until we caught you at it.)
Let’s pay for that study ourselves and keep the developer out of it – then ask for Requests for Proposals.
Advantages to deep-sixing the RFQ
You would know what the area can support and not be beholden to a tailored study to support a project that is already out there. The RFQ actually has one project it envisions at various sizes:
The RFQ calls for six versions of projects to study, varying from 600,000 square feet of development of office and retail/restaurant to 1.5 Million square feet of office and retail space and residential in various mixes. It is essentially calling for a analysis of impact of various sizes of the same project.
It would appear that the RFQ is geared to one kind of project a combination of office space and retail or residential use and doubling parking. It raises the question of whether the RFP is broad enough in the project scope it details. Perhaps you might want a more loose definition of the project.
Advantages of Rewriting the RFQ.
You’re not locked into to a project upfront:
In the present RFQ, upon conclusion of the studies and the Community Review Process when the Council is then expected to amend the Comprehensive and Zoning Ordinances, if it does decide to do so, the Redeveloper then gets to submit a proposal. No one else can – according to this agreement, to wit:
“The Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance, whether amended or not, and the applicable urban renewal plans, as amended or adopted, shall provide the regulatory framework within which an application for a Redevelopment Project for the Property shall be submitted by the Designated Redeveloper.”
The above page in the RFQ shows that after the studies and the community approves the project the study arrives at as most feasible, (one of the six projects listed in the previous photograph), the city is obligated to let the designated redeveloper submit an exclusive project proposal.
Perhaps the Council might want to take a look at that and find some way that competing proposals could be solicited.
The Pre-Approval?
The RFQ and designating a redeveloper essentially is approving a project that the redeveloper studies which oddly enough has already been defined by the city, to wit the picture above.
The question is why this kind of project, why not a sports arena and hotel, forget office space. This RFQ may already be obsolete.
What would a thoughtful observant Common Council do?
Recall the RFQ and do the study themselves.
Otherwise, they are locking themselves into one vision which is what they said last spring they did not want.
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WPCNR AT THE NORTH END. By John F. Bailey. August 26, 2007: White Plains has a new meeting and greeting place with an atmosphere and eclectic mix of food and ambience where you can really relax in a quiet warm place with people you know who treat you like family. You also never know who’ll you’ll see walk in. It’s The North End, operated not by a national chain but folks you’ve known for a long time, the Cantatores.
Frank, of course was the first builder to invest in White Plains, actually starting the Renaissance when he created Clayton Park – before White Plains was the place to be. Frank has since expanded his horizons nationally, while continuing to invest in creative housing projects in his home city.
His latest creative project is his renovation of the former Sweetwater’s, reinventing it as something completely different, The North End – a café with a gourmet mix of creative dishes, a place uniquely conducive to conversation and relaxation. Frank and his father often are on hand in the sophisticated wooded bar area. The high arched ceilings and gray and red walls absorb conversation and evoke the intimate sophisticated settings of the restaurants of Coral Gables in Miami.
The place feels small, but your tables are separated by good distances. It is divided into a pavilion and separate alcoves much like a Nautilus shell. The place has arched stucco walls, creating at once vistas and privacy. Potted palms provide a tropical Key West feel, and soften the glitz and offer an engaging electricity that encourages you to linger long after your meal is done.
The bar has that South Beach feel to it without the crush, an adult kind of bar and the warm wood paneling of the bar encourages reflection, introspection and candor. If Rick’s Café Americain were to land in White Plains it would be called The North End. All Frank has to do is don a white sportcoat and a carnation and you’ll be transported back to the famous movie Casablanca.
Sal Cantatore, Franks’ father stopped by the place and said he designed and landscaped the exterior of the place and other members of the family created the interior. Franks’ sister-in-law is general manager. And the family was holding court at a table in the corner as we were leaving.
This reporter’s Prince Edward Island Mussels in rosemary sauce was tasty embellishing the little beauties and not overwealming the delicacy of these fruits of the sea. My swordfish was flaky and tender. My companion’s ribs and filet mignons and pasta were excellent. The cappuchino stalwart. You might also try the eggplant dish, North White Plains High Rise that soars off the plate like The Ritz.
It was also fun seeing city personalities walk in and persons you know running the place and welcoming you. The North End is unlike any other place in White Plains – it’s a local place – the first to open in a long time.
And here’s another advantage: there’s free parking. Find out more about The North End by visiting their website, www.northendwp.com. Or give Frank a call at 686-5337.