THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

WPPAC Gala Handle Could Top $90,000 If Figures Firm

Posted on November 9, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR PEN, QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. November 9, 2004: By a rough rule of thumb, the WPPAC was about 80% full last night. Depending on the depth and content of the pockets of Mr. and Mrs. Well-Heeled White Plains who attended, and how much production costs were waived, the WPPAC may realize $70,000 out of the event, and depending on silent auction receipts could reach between $90,000 and $100,000.

WPPAC ANGELS Filled the Hall Monday Evening at the White Plains Performing Arts Center Gala Cocktail Hour. Photo by WPCNR StageCam

$100,000 Handle Before Expenses An Outside Possibility.

The catering was donated by Legal Seafood, Morton’s Steakhouse and Zanaro’s for the cocktail hour and the dessert After-Show coffee. Here’s what the handle looks like:

Assume 100 seats (first five or six rows) sold at $250: $25,000

Assume an additional 250 seats sold at $150 each: $37,500

Advertising did appear in the Programs given out at the WPPAC performance but the advertisements were included as part of the ticket deal for some of the advertisers. However, let us assume most ads were paid at $600 a page, $300 a half-page.

In the two programs there are 30-1/4 pages of advertising at approximately $600 a page for $18,150 of advertising.

So if only a handful of advertisers received free half-pages if they purchased two tickets, then the rough handle adds up to approximately $80,650, right on Paul Wood’s rough estimate to the CitizeNetReporter. That is before expenses to stage the show:

$150 Tickets: $37,500

$250 Tickets: $25,000

Advertising, 30-1/4 Pages: $18,150

Estimated House Gross $80,650

Silent Auction a Sleeper.

Another source of revenue to add to this is the silent auction in which 25 experiences, items, and services were bid on by the gala attendees, with a total minimum bid value of $17,370.

Among the items bid were a round of golf with Donald Trump and Frank Gifford for $5,000; Kathie Lee Gifford’s Manolo Blahnik spike heels, $500; Season Tickets to New York Giants Football in 2005-06; a $1,000 gift certificate to Mary Jane Denzer’s; a Mohonk Mountain House Getaway for $500; a Teeth Whitening Treatment from Dr. Jeffrey Schlotman, the Singing Dentist in White Plains; Enrollment in WPPAC’s Youth Theater Summer Camp in 2005, $600; Two-Months Membership in New York Sports Club, $600; Four Tickets to Under The Bridge and other gifts from local restaurants, and services.

If all items went at the minimum bids or did better than minimum the “Gross” could reach $100,000. If the theatre lays off production expenses on other sources, the net could approach the six figures.

Broadway Bright Lights, Actress/Singer Rita Harvey, Center and William Michals, right, stayed after the show to schmooz with patrons. Here the stars talk with Mrs. Joseph Delfino, left. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

Development Director Hired for WPPAC-HHTC to Enhance Community Use, Fundraising.

Posted on November 9, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR TABLE 50. By John F. Bailey. November 9, 2004, UPDATED November 10, 2004, 11:00 A.M. E.S.T.: Monday evening’s First Anniversary Gala introduced a new player in the WPPAC cast: Ms. Joeen Ciannella, has been appointed Development Director for the White Plains Performing Arts Center and the Helen Hayes Theatre Company in Nyack.

Ms. Ciannella brings the experience of Executive Director of the Hermitage Museum Mansion in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, which she left in September of this year. She is also familiar with the disciplines of theatre financing, having been a member of the Board of Trustees for the Helen Hayes Theatre Company, in Nyack. Ms. Ciannella replaces Melissa Klein as Development Director at the White Plains Performing Arts Center who departed WPPAC this summer. For the last eighteen years, Mis Ciannella worked for the Republican Congresswoman Marge Roukema of New Jersey as Coordinator of Community Affairs, until Ms. Roukema’s retirement this year. Ms. Ciannella is also listed as a member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Chamber of Commerce.

Joeen Ciannella, Development Director with Tony Stimac, Producing Director at WPPAC Gala last night. Ms. Ciannella says she will be come a familiar figure around White Plains rounding up community input, support and feelings in her efforts to tailor WPPAC to White Plains needs. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

Ms. Ciannella, comes from Park Ridge, New Jersey, where she ran the District Office for Congresswoman Marge Roukema for the last eighteen years.

Ms. Ciannella said her assignment for White Plains will be to “work with the community to give back to the community a lot of what they give to us,” and to find out from White Plains what they want in the community theatre. She is reaching out to community groups first. She may be contacted at 1-845-358-2847, Ext. 19. Asked if she was going to take on a fund-raising role as well, and if the WPPAC was “salvageable,” she said her role is not thoroughly defined yet in that she has only been on board for three weeks.

It could not be determined how Ms. Ciannella’s role will understudy the role Jeffrey Rosenstock has distanced himself from, since Mr. Rosenstock has been associated with WPPAC on a pro bono basis, though he continues to be involved in grants acquisition and program booking. (See previous stories on Rosenstock’s pro bono role.)

Cappelli Has a Deal for Mr. Ginsburg to Save Trump Tower Views.

Posted on November 9, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR TABLE 50. By John F. Bailey. November 9, 2004: In the crush of the White Plains Performing Arts Center Gala Cocktail Hour Monday evening, a lot was going on. Everybody was working the angles as White Plains Performing Arts Center was injected with a new transfusion of green blood from White Plains’ Rich and Famous.

IN THE SCHMOOZ ZONE were Louis Cappelli, center, The Super Developer, Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel, (left), and the charismatic Martin Ginsburg (second from right) of Ginsburg Development Corporation exchanging pleasantries. Just three weeks ago, Mr. Ginsburg had complained strongly to the Common Council that they should use eminent domain to take the Corner Nook-Main Street Bookstore-Deli building that Cappelli now owns. Now, Mr. Cappelli reports he has made a deal with Mr. Ginsburg to allow the Pinnacle to proceed. Photo by WPCNR News.

Louis Cappelli told WPCNR when asked if he and Mr. Ginsburg were working on the differences they have over Mr. Ginsburg’s plan for the Pinnacle, and Mr. Cappelli’s concern for his views from Trump Tower at City Center, “There’s a meeting of the minds there somewhere.”

Martin Ginsburg at the Common Council Work Session in October, presenting his Pinnacle Building on Main Street. A 24-Story 148-Unit luxury condominium, priced from $450,000 for a 900-square foot one-bedroom to $2.5 Million for 3,700 square foot penthouses. Photo by WPCNR News.

After the gala was over, the Super Developer provided more details on a possible accommodation with Mr. Ginsburg.

“Here’s the deal:”

Cappelli told WPCNR he liked Mr. Ginsburg’s concept of sidewalk café restaurants across from the entrance of City Center on City Place. Cappelli announced he’s willing to relinquish the Corner Nook-Deli-Main Street Bookstore property (which he owns) to Mr. Ginsburg if Mr. Ginsburg lowers the height of his proposed Pinnacle Condominium-Retal-Plex from 280 feet (24 stories) to 230 feet.

Cappelli said he wants to protect the upper story views from the Trump Tower at City Center which soars 340 feet.

THE PINNACLE, Main Street View. Photo by WPCNR News

Asked if Mr. Ginsburg’s new plans showed a decrease in the height, Cappelli said it was his understanding that the building would be lowered to 23 stories.

Ginsburg Office Has Not Changed Plans on File with Building Department.

Mr. Ginsburg’s office was contacted for comment by WPCNR Tuesday morning, and Bill Madden, President of Madden Communications & Marketing, a spokesperson for Ginsburg Development Corporation returned the call.

Madden said that as of last Monday, GDC had submitted a request to the city to condemn the corner parcel and would have no further comment while the city is reviewing that request. Madden said the plans GDC had submitted to the Building Department were unchanged from when originally submitted.

WPCNR asked Madden if this meant GDC was neither confirming nor denying the deal exits, and Madden said, “right.”

A source in the GDC offices originally contacted by WPCNR did confirm the offer exists, saying the height change was from 280 feet down to 230 feet. Asked how the building would change, the source said the building woul take 50 feet off the top (50 feet), and make the building wider.

Wood: City Center Garage rights being arranged to pump up square footage.

Mr. Ginsburg’s request of the Common Council to give him access to portions of the City Center Garage to acquire the square footage he needs to build The Pinnacle project (in addition to the Nook-Deli-Bookstore building) is now being looked on favorably by the city.

Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, told WPCNR Friday that Mr. Ginsburg was advised by the Building Department he had to submit that request to the Urban Renewal Agency, not the Common Council as the appropriate method of aquiring that square footage. He is now going through that process and requesting the square footage from the Urban Renewal Agency.

Mr. Madden, when asked about this new process of going to Urban Renewal and whether it was underway, said he would get back to WPCNR.

Bradley Rules Out Run for Mayor. Stops Slightly Short of Endorsing Bill Ryan

Posted on November 9, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS WEEK NEWS. November 9, 2004: Assemblyman Adam Bradley stated unequivocably Monday evening that he was not a candidate for Mayor of White Plains in 2005. The Assemblyman, interviewed on White Plains Week, the city news roundup show on WPPA-TV, “The Spirit of 76,” Monday evening, mentioned William Ryan, the County Legislator, as a strong candidate to challenge Mayor Joseph Delfino, stopping short of endorsing him, though Bradley did not mention any other Democrat Mayoral possibilities.

ADAM STAYS IN ALBANY: Assemblyman Adam Bradley ruled out any run for Mayor of White Plains Monday evening on White Plains Week, all but annointing County Legislator William Ryan as the Democrat Mayoral standard-bearer in 2005, if Mr. Ryan wants it. The Assemblyman “Re-Elect” is shown with Co-Host, Jim Benerofe, the Dean of the White Plains School of Journalism. Photo by WPCNR News.

Bradley said he was going to work very hard in his next two years in Albany on addressing and solving the health costs issues jeopardizing delivery of health care to Westchester residents. He said he would be interested in engaging and participating in the legislature examining the health costs issues between insurers and Westchester hospitals, and finding solutions, suggesting the answer lay in the capping of both costs and rates. He also expressed the necessity to examine these costs before another hospital closes in Westchester County.

The assemblyman said budget revenues were better through 2004 so far, up some $3 Billion and cast optimism that the state will not be facing as large a deficit as expected in hammering out a budget in 2005. Bradley said the budget reform package he hoped would be signed by Governor George Pataki, but if the Governor vetoed it, he felt the Assembly and Senate would override it. If not, he said he personally would work to hammer out a compromise with the Executive Branch.

Bradley, in discussing his 10,000 vote victory over his opponent Robert Castelli in the 89th Assembly District said he won every town in the district. He thanked the voters of White Plains for their support, and pledged to continue listening and working for all the district.