WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. May 17, 2006: Mayor Joseph Delfino, observing last night’s Planning Board meeting stopped to chat with WPCNR and confided that the city has finally worked out the problems dealing with emergency access to the Wal-Mart Main Street site, which the Mayor said had been delaying matters. The Mayor was pleased to announce that Wal-Mart will be opening July 15, saying it will take Wal-Mart five weeks to stock the store. He also noted that Wal-Mart was opening 30 stores around the country in 30 days, but was confident the store would be open by the July date.

Waiting for Wal-Mart: Mayor Delfino announced good news on the big W on Main Street (slightly to the right of City Hall) last night.  Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. Special to WPCNR from Cappelli Enterprises with WPCNR Reporting (Edited) May 16, 2006, UPDATED 11:26 P.M. E.D.T. UPDATED 1:15 A.M. E.D.T.: Louis Cappelli announced today The Ritz-Carlton will operate and manage the hotel and condominium complex the Super Developer is building at 221 Main Street in White Plains. Not only will The Ritz operate the hotel, but it will also manage one of the 40 story condominium complex soaring above the hotel located between Main Street and Hamilton Avenues in White Plains. The  make-up of the residential second tower planned in the complex, according to a Cappelli spokesperson, is still to be determined and will not at this time be managed by The Ritz Carlton. Bruce Berg, speaking to WPCNR Tuesday evening said that it was likely The Ritz would, though, be managing the second tower.

The Ritz-Carlton Westchester and The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Westchester, (showing one tower of the two-tower complex). View is looking East. In foreground is the Court Street extension and entrance to the hotel. Rendering, Courtesy, Cappelli Enterprises.

Model of two condominium towers above The Ritz-Carlton Westchester, as photographed in November. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. and developer Louis R. Cappelli today announced the plans for a 123-room luxury hotel with more than 400 private condominiums. The complex will be named The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester and The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester. The  $400 million project is currently under construction at the intersection of Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue.

 

The Ritz Rises on site between Main Street and Hamilton Avenue. Photo taken last week.

 

Housed within two 40-story towers, the hotel and residences will be a landmark structure, designed by the architectural firm of Costas Kondylis and Partners of New York City, with interiors by renowned Interior Designer, Frank Nicholson. The two soaring towers will rise from the 10-level hotel podium, with stories 11-40 containing The Residences.

 

The expected opening date of the first tower, with 213 residences and 23 condominium-hotel units is early 2008. 

 

Closeup of the Court Street Extension and entrance to The Ritz-Carlton Westchester. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

 

Renaissance Square Amenities Detailed. Two, Two Restaurants, Ladies and Gentlemen.

 

 The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester is part of the 940,000 square foot complex called Renaissance Square, being developed by Louis R. Cappelli, with a 10,000 square foot spa and fitness center; two fine dining restaurants, and 10,000 square feet of meeting and special event space.

 

One of the restaurants will offer spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, Long Island Sound, and the Hudson Valley from its location 400 feet above the ground atop one of the towers.

 

A Cappelli spokesman said a glass elevator will climb one of the condominium towers and that the hotel would contain a 600-guest ballroom, and have a “Wintergarden” feature on Main Street.

 

 

The Ritz Rising on Main Street, last week. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

Ritz Rajah Speaks.

 

“I believe Westchester is an important location to enhance the portfolio of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,” said Simon F. Cooper, president and chief operating officer. “Many Fortune 500 companies have a presence in the region, and it is a very attractive place to live for affluent consumers who enjoy the proximity to Manhattan in an exclusive suburban setting,” he added.

Super Developer Makes Prestigious Choice

 “We spent a great deal of time evaluating the options for this site. The Ritz-Carlton brand truly stands alone; it is associated worldwide with the finest reputation for luxury hotels and residences,” said Louis R. Cappelli. The five star luxury lifestyle, level of design, amenities, and services we will offer hotel guests and condominium owners is unprecedented in any Manhattan suburb.”

 

Delfino, Spano Awed: “Going Downtown” Now Means Going to White Plains.

 

White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino stated, “The arrival of Westchester’s first luxury hotel in White Plains is another significant sign of the City’s continuing resurgence, economic strength and prestige. The project will generate approximately 1,000 construction jobs and more than 150 permanent jobs.   The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester will help attract visitors from across the country to White Plains.”

 

Speaking to WPCNR Tuesday evening, Mayor Delfino said “The signing of The Ritz-Carlton is truly prestigious for White Plains and it compliments all we’ve done.”

 

Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano noted, “The new concept of ‘going downtown’ means going to White Plains, not Manhattan. The fact that The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has chosen White Plains for their first suburban location further validates the growing importance of White Plains and Westchester County as among the most prestigious locations in the Northeast.” 

 

Selling Agent Selected.

 

“The opportunity for condominium owners to access facilities of The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester while enjoying their own private and abundant amenities is truly unique in Westchester County,” said Adrienne Albert, President of The Marketing Directors, Inc., the exclusive selling agent of the residences. “The combination of the Ritz-Carlton Brand and Louis Cappelli’s exciting and unique building design will offer hotel guests and condominium purchasers the luxury and quality product not found anywhere in the region”.

 

The Ritz-Carlton Comes Back.

 

When Louis Cappelli first started talking bringing in a hotel for White Plains, he had The Ritz-Carlton in mind, and now his original choice has joined forces with him. During approvals for the project, Mr. Cappelli showed the Common Council a letter from Ritz-Carlton expressing serious interest in the project. Mr. Cappelli’s first choice has now come aboard. Bruce Berg said Mr.Cappelli personally had traveled to Maryland to convince Ritz-Carlton’s Mr. Cooper that the 221 Main Street complex was right for The Ritz. Mr. Berg said the two chief executives got along very well and Mr. Cappelli’s personal touch brought Ritz-Carlton into the 221 project.

 

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, Md., (USA) currently operates 61 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Over 20 projects are under development around the globe with hotel openings planned for Moscow, Ireland, and two in Beijing over the next year.  The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service.

 

Cappelli Enterprises is an acknowledged leader in creating and building major innovative mixed-use redevelopment projects in White Plains including the highly successful City Center, Trump Tower, One City Place and The Lofts at City Center.  The company has redevelopment projects that are reshaping other downtown areas across Westchester and Fairfield Counties.

 

White Plains joins the prestigious list of newly announced Ritz-Carlton locations, which include Shanghai, The Bahamas, Costa Del Sol and Doha. 

 

The Ritz-Carlton commitment to White Plains, beats Hilton Hotels  to the White Plains downtown, while preventing Starwood Hotels from securing a base in downtown White Plains where Starwood has its world headquarters. 

 

Hilton a little late.

 

Hilton Hotels had been spoken of as having been looking at land beside the Metro North railroad off Bank Street, but a spokesperson for Hilton Hotels told WPCNR that it is Hilton’s policy to not speak of locations under consideration. The spokesman last week would neither confirm that Hilton was eyeing White Plains or was not considering sites within the city. Hilton already runs the Rye Town Hilton adjacent to White Plains. 

 

Originally a Hilton spokesman first told WPCNR Hilton had been looking at the Bank Street property, but was no longer interested. Then a spokesman called WPCNR back to say Hilton’s policy was not to comment until a signing has been made, indicating that Hilton is not necessarily out of the White Plains market, and could be still in the hunt for hotel property in White Plains. He indicated Hilton always took a careful look to assure they do not cannibalize existing Hiltons in any one area. Hilton runs both the Rye Town Hilton and a Hilton in Tarrytown.

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WPCNR’S CAPITOL DISTRICT DAILY . From Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. May 15, 2006: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) announced that the Assembly has passed bipartisan legislation to bring much-needed relief to motorists by reducing and capping state and local sales taxes on gasoline (A.11331).  The bipartisan gas tax legislation would take effect on June 1 for the state sales tax and July 1 for local sales taxes, should local governments pass legislation to cap local sales taxes on gas.

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“As gas prices soar to above $3 a gallon and with the Bush administration unable to implement a plan to mitigate the ever increasing fuel costs, it has left us no choice but to implement a state plan to provide Westchester and all New York residents with relief from high gas prices,” said Bradley.  “New Yorkers should expect an estimated annual savings of $450 million at the pump by capping state and local sales taxes on gas at 8 cents per gallon, which locks in the tax at the $2 per gallon rate.”

 

According to Bradley, if gas prices should dip below $2 per gallon, the 8-cent cap would be reduced proportionately. For example, with gas prices at $3 per gallon, this agreement would reduce the tax on gas by 4 cents per gallon. 

 

More specifics of the Legislature’s gas plan include:

·        Requiring that service station owners pass along the savings to consumers;

·        Making the state Commissioner of Taxation and Finance, in conjunction with chair of the state Consumer Protection Board, responsible for enforcing the gas cap; and

·        Fining gas stations up to $5,000 per incident, per day, if they neglect to pass savings on to consumers.

 

“Record high gas prices have had adverse affects on everything we do, from the cost of going to work and transporting our children to school to the cost of policing our streets and transporting the food we buy at the grocery store. And with the summer travel season upon us, this agreement will provide New Yorkers with immediate relief during the highly traveled summer months,” said Bradley.

 

While motorists in Westchester and across New York State pay some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, oil companies are enjoying record profits.  In fact, Exxon Mobile – which is giving its former chairman a $400 million retirement package – recently reported an all-time record first-quarter profit of more than $8 billion.  The White House, home to two former oil company executives, is in no rush to address this serious national issue.

 

“This gas cap will help New Yorkers deal with the rapid increase in fuel prices, but we need the federal government to come to the table and solve the economic impacts nationwide resulting from this unheralded increase in gas prices,” said Bradley.  “Our families can’t afford to pay skyrocketing fuel prices without some kind of relief and this agreement delivers immediate relief.  I encourage all Westchester motorists to visit www.fueleconomy.gov to locate the most affordable local gasoline prices on any given day.”   

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WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. MAY 13, 2006: Peter Bassano, a member of the Board of Education writes to explain why any referendum on the $66.7 Million Bond for Capital Improvements is being held in October or December, and not November:

Since we spoke this week, two additional citizens have agreed to join the Capital Projects Committee, Mr. Richard Hecht and Mr. Eli Fritz.  Two unanswered invitations to community members remain outstanding.  Also missing from the list of members you published was Mr. Marc Pollitzer.

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You suggested in your article that the Board of Education scheduled the referendum in October or December in order to carefully avoid “the major election turnout of the November election.”   This suggestion is terribly misleading. 

The general election is governed by NY Election Law while a school bond referendum is governed by the New York Education Law.  According to the counsel’s office at the Education Department, combining the election would require adhering to two separate and different sets of regulations including the requirements for separate voting machines, separate vote counts, separate sets of election overseers and possibly the requirement that some voters cast their ballots at two separate locations. Because of these and other legal obstacles and the lead time that elections require, we opted for an October or December vote. 

As to Mr. Vorperian’s letter, I believe John and the community will see that the make-up of the Capital Projects Committee, once finalized, will include representation from a broad cross section of White Plains citizens who will give these very important issues the scrutiny and consideration they merit.

Informed and intelligent members of the community also should understand by now that the Capital Improvement proposals have nothing to do with the School Budget vote next Tuesday.  These proposals will, of course, affect future budgets and that is why the proposals are being evaluated in a deliberate, critical and careful manner.

Peter Bassano

 

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 11, 2006 UPDATED May 13, 2006 12:30 A.M. E.D.T.: The Board of Education has selected a cross-section of citizens, students, teachers, and businesspersons to analyze and recommend to the Board of Education which of $67 Million in proposed capital improvements be put up for public referendum in the fall.

 

Peter Bassano,  the member of the Board of Education who is supervising the selection of the committee told WPCNR Wednesday the Committee (known as the Capital Projects Committee) would be made up of seven citizens, and four persons working in or attending White Plains schools, and “ex officio” members representing preparers of the plan, there for “expertise” and himself as a Board member.

Mr. Bassano said 13 persons would be on the committee. Those who have agreed to serve are: Brent Brown, Assistant Principal at Highlands Middle School, Mitch Barnett, a teacher at Post Road School, another teacher from Mamaroneck Avenue School and a student from the White Plains High School. Servicing from the community, he said, are Bill Brown (member of the WPHS Athletic Hall of Fame and currently builder of affordable housing on South Kensico Avenue in White Plains), Mike Graessle of Nelson-Vrooman, former Commissioner of Planning in White Plains, and Patricia Siebecker of the PTA Council, Marc Pollitzer, Richard Hecht and Eli Fritz. Bassano reported Friday that there are two others who have not told him their intention to serve yet.

 

There are “Ex officio” members in the committee They are: Mr. Bassano, Mike Lynch,  School District Director of Facilities & Operations, Russell Davidson, the principal representing Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson Architects who prepared the Capital Improvements plans being reviewed (there as Bassano put it to answer questions), Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools, Terrance Schruers, Assistant Superintendent for Business, and Michele Tratoros of the Board of Education, who will substitute for Mr. Bassano, when he is unable to attend meetings.

 

Asked if there would be a construction source other than Bill Brown, Bassano said the district was in the process of hiring a construction manager to review the estimated costs of the project as prepared by the architect, to “put another eyeball on the pricing.”

 

Meeting May 22

 

The committee is expected to meet for the first time on May 22 to organize and develop their approach to the Capital Improvements Analysis. A chairperson would be chosen, issues would be defined and an agenda/timetable set. Bassano said he expected the committee would work through the summer, in search of decisions by September. Bassano said if the committee felt they needed more time they would take it.

 

A referendum is tenatatively planned for October or December, according to the Board of Education, (carefully avoiding the major electoral turnout of the November election).

 

Mr. Bassano, responding to the first edition of this report, explained Friday why the Board opted for the referendum date in either October or December:

 

“The general election is governed by NY Election Law while a school bond referendum is governed by the New York Education Law.  According to the counsel’s office at the Education Department, combining the election would require adhering to two separate and different sets of regulations including the requirements for separate voting machines, separate vote counts, separate sets of election overseers and possibly the requirement that some voters cast their ballots at two separate locations. Because of these and other legal obstacles and the lead time that elections require, we opted for an October or December vote,” Mr. Bassanog wrote WPCNR in an e-mail.

 

Not Waiting for Strategic Plan

 

WPCNR asked why the Board of Education would make decisions on capital improvements now when they are in the process of hiring a strategic planning firm to prepare a comprehensive long-range plan for growing the School District over the next fifteen years. Why wouldn’t the Board execute the strategic plan, then adjust  the $60 Million capital improvements being considered against the needs determined by the long range conditions and challenges unveiled by the strategic plan?

 

Bassano said one of the representatives of one of  the strategic planning firms the district is interviewing said it would take a long time to develop the strategic plan (about a year), and that the district could not consider both endeavors: the capital improvements and the strategic plan at once, it being too much to consider at once.

 

The advice by that strategic planner was the capital improvements should simply be included as part of the strategic plan as the plan is developed. Bassano said the major issue of building a new Post Road School (A $36 Million option) only affected one building of five elementary schools and that the strategic planning firm recommendation was that would not significantly effect overall macro-planning for the district, it being considered to be a “need” now.

 

Selected Not Solicited. No Independent Sources.

 

Asked why the committee consisted of teachers and persons with an interest in the facility, Bassano said the teachers and Assistant Principal and student would give perspective on the needs of the buildings. Questioned on why the Board of Education would not hire other consultants to start independent studies of the buildings on their own as a check and balance on the plans and recommendations of the present architect, Bassano said “We have that anyway,” pointing out the construction manager being hired would do that, especially in the matter of pricing.

 

Asked if persons could volunteer for the committee, Bassano said it was the Board of Education decision to select members to keep the committee from becoming “unwieldy.”

 

Members Have Stakes.

 

However, the record of the conception and introduction of the capital improvements plan, shows that some members of the chosen committee may have a hard time being totally objective because plans involve the school where they work, and interests that would benefit causes they support.

 

One of the committee members has been a strong supporter of the football field artificial turf projects promoted with virtually no community support at Highlands and White Plains High School. Another member of the committee works at the school being proposed to be replaced; another serves at the school where a new field facility is being proposed; a third teaches at Mamaroneck Avenue School where the second major interior renovation is proposed. Another member is a student.

 

Another member is from the PTA Council which is strongly supportive of district improvements by tradition.

 

The architect has been observed by this reporter as very proactive in support of his own plans in his presentations of these projects, answering questions asked by the Board without presenting both sides of an issue objectively, proselytizing for his plans passionately based on positive experiences in other districts.  The Superintendent of Schools has been supportive of the capital improvements. Previous vocal critics of the plans, with the exception of Mr. Pollitzer and Mr. Bassano, have been excluded from the committee.

 

At this time, Mr. Bassano does not know whether  the committee’s deliberations will be conducted in public. That is up to the committee to decide, Bassano said.