WPCNR CITY HALL ROUNDUP. By John F. Bailey. May 19, 2004, UPDATED 11:30 P.M. E.D.T.: SuperDeveloper Louis Cappelli introduced two scale models of his 221 Main Street Cappelli Hotel & Office complex Wednesday afternoon in slenderized sweptback, reangled buildings that created approximately 100 feet of airy park space on Main Street separating the hotel complex luxuriously from the Grace Church courtyard. The models, created in two weeks, appeared to satisfy Common Council concerns about open space surrounding the project.
THE MODEL THAT COULD NOT BE DONE FOR 3 MONTHS, stands completed two weeks after the Common Council requested it. SuperDeveloper Louis Cappelli talks city view scapes as the model of the CappelliPlex wows the Common Council. A weary Bruce Berg of Cappelli Enterprises positions the model as Mr. Cappelli walks the Council through. Tom Roach, Common Council President, left looks on Wednesday afternoon. Photo by WPCNR News
The SuperDeveloper went to great lengths to castigate the Bar Building as an “eyesore” destroying the cache of his project. He characterized the Bar Building as an “abomination” which he had to work around and tersely asked the Common Council to assure “through zoning or whatever means” that the Longhitanos (owners of the Bar Building which was recently placed on the State Register of Historic Places) recondition the front and sides of the Bar Building, (“at least take out the air conditioners”). Kenneth Finger, attorney representing the Longhitanos, told WPCNR they definitely planned to do so, and that his clients would recondition the Bar Building within the next year after the demolition process.
Longhitanos a Roadblock Before: Cappelli
Cappelli also took the time to suggest that the Longhitanos were deliberately standing in the way of his plans. He accused Frank and Anthony Longhitano dealing and killing one of his projects in the past. He said their plans to develop property across from his New Roc City project derailed a $200 Million extension of Mr. Cappelli’s New Roc City project.
Cappelli said that by the Longhitanos telling the New Rochelle Common Council they had plans to develop his property across the street from New Roc City, Cappelli alleged the Longhitano plans caused the New Rochelle Council to refuse to consider Mr. Cappelli’s completion of his New Rochelle project. “To this day,” Cappelli said, “that building stands empty and vacant.”
Mr. Finger, the Longhitano attorney, was asked by WPCNR why the Longhitanos appeared to have a vendetta against Mr. Cappelli. Mr. Finger said this was a poor, irresponsible choice of words by WPCNR, and vehemently denied his clients had any vendetta against Mr. Cappelli. He said “That is absolutely not true. They just want to protect their property.”
Setback Skirmish
Mr. Cappelli revealed that the Longhitanos, owners of the Bar Building, are challenging Mr. Cappelli’s right to build up flush to the North side of the Bar Building. He was combatitive saying it is in his contract that he can do that, and said it needs to be adjudicated in court. Carl Finger, speaking to reporters afterwards said the plan his client had showed a driveway between the two buildings. Cappelli said that was the wrong plan and that the plan the deal and contract was based on was the original design which showed the hotel flush to the North Side of the Bar Building. Mr. Finger disputed this contention. Finger said it was his client’s (The Longhitanos) position that there was to be a 14 foot setback.
COULD WE GET A SMALLER ROOM? Inside a packed Mayor’s Conference Room, 26 persons, including the Common Council, with 5 more standing in the doorway, watched Mr. Cappeli showcase his 12th redesign of the project (according to Bruce Berg). The difference this time was Mr. Cappelli having the buildings reangled to cast the least shadows, while removing the single pillar, cantilever construction previously, creating a graceful curved sidewalk fadeaway to Grace Church. Photo by WPCNR News
A VIEW TO GRACE: A Closeup of the CappelliPlex Model showing the 50 feet slideaway into Grace Church created by Mr. Cappelli’s redesign. Cappelli envisioned a sculpture garden, a copse of trees, sitting space in the area. To orient you: You are looking North along Court Street. The Bar Building is the white building on the corner. The hotel is the curved front. Grace Church upper right. The copse of trees on far left is the entrance to the Cappelli Hotel. Mr. Cappelli said he is in the final stages of negotiation with a hotel which he said would be either a Westin or a Westin Nine. Photo by WPCNR News.
THE THREE CRYSTALS: Overview of the CappelliPlex model displayed Wednesday afternoon. Mr.Cappelli said the first tower would be all condominium above his 4-story hotel. The second tower would be rental, but could be condominum depending on the market. The office tower, third in the progression, already has a “Fortune 500 tenant” lined up. Cappelli scoffed when WPCNR if that tenant began with a “T” (Donald Trump). Cappelli is expecting to build all three towers at once and complete them by June 2007. Mark Weingarten, Mr. Cappelli’s legal counsel said his client was on target for a June 7 Common Council approval. Photo by WPCNR News.
GRACE GARDENS: The hand of Louis Cappelli points out the amenities of his expanded open space created by eliminating the cantilever design of the previous hotel facade and “sweeping it back.” The Courtyward will present “activised open space” that feature a sculpture, (red icon), a sitting wall around the sculpture, a copse of trees and steps down into a courtyard, with “a water wall,” where citizens can sit and relax. Grace Church is at top of schematic. Photo by WPCNR News.
CITYSCAPE PANORAMA MODEL: In a dramatic conclusion to his presentation, after Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning had presented a computerized “fly-by” of views, Mr. Cappelli presented a cityscape model showing how the 221 CappelliPlex of Hotel-Condo-OfficePlex fit in to the downtown skyline. The Cappelli 221 Project is the the left in gold. City Center is to the right (in gold). The view is looking down Mamaronack Avenue, looking North. Photo by WPCNR News
CITY PANORAMA LOOKING SOUTH: The “Three Crystals” as Kostas Condylis, the architect describes them are in foreground. Court Street lower right. The City Center is at top of your picture. City Hall is the building to the left center of the picture. Photo by WPCNR News.
THE CRYSTALS SHINE: The Developer displays a color rendering of the three glass towers. Photo by WPCNR News.
FLY BY PRESENTATION: Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel shows how Kostis Condylis, Cappelli’s architect reangled the new design from the former design. The red bulding she is pointing to indicates where the former bulk of the hotel stood. The light blue indicates how the building was turned slightly for purposes of sunlight and shadow fall so as not to cloak Main Street in shadow. The orange building is the Bar Building. Ms. Habel proceeded to show street level views computer-generated to scale which indicated that the new buildings of the Cappelli Hotel, apartment and office complex were discreetly tucked away on virtually all street level views. Photo by WPCNR News
MALMUD ON THE AIR RIGHTS MONEY: Councilwoman Rita Malmud asked if Mr. Cappelli had completed his $2 Million purchase of the airrights over the City Center garage which he intendes to transfer to the 221 Main Street site. Mr. Cappelli explained he was only going to pay $1 Million for the air rights because he did not need all the air space to develop 221 Main, because the Common Council had cut him back from over 1,000,050 Square feet of development to 890,000 Square feet, so he did not need all of the air space over the garage. He indicated he would pay the city just $1,000,000, (which he has paid), and perhaps consider ownership rights of the development space remaining over the City Center garage. Ms. Malmud, shocked, said she would speak to the Mayor about this matter. In his final comment of the day to WPCNR, Mr. Cappelli said he had no interest in developing in the City of Fort Lauderdale. Photo by WPCNR News
