WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. By John F. Bailey. May 15, 2003: Mayor Joseph Delfino and members of the White Plains Common Council present and past were whisked to the 35th floor of the City Center North Tower under construction late Tuesday afternoon and treated to a panoramic view from the top lead by their personal Tour Guide, Louis Cappelli, “The Super Developer.”
ON TOP OF WHITE PLAINS:
“We went up to the 35th floor, we looked out, and were able to see through the cloudy skies, Manhattan, the George Washington Bridge, the Throgs Neck Bridge, the Long Island Sound, and the Catskill Mountains,” Councilman Boykin told WPCNR this week. It is a spectacular view of White Plains and 35 miles around.”
Photo by WPCNR News
COUNCIL PRESIDENT BOYKIN IMPRESSED: Councilman Benjamin Boykin said the councilmembers on tour were awed by the spectacular views that well-heeled future residents will enjoy on the upper floors of Louis Cappelli’s personal ziggurat, even on a cloudy day, according to Council President Benjamin Boykin. Showing the courage to ascend the open floored construction site were Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Robert Greer and former Councilperson Pauline Oliva.
Photo by WPCNR News
White Plains Is a City in A Park.
Boykin said it was really worthwhile to see the perspective and get an appreciation for the appeal of the residences under construction. He said he was impressed by how White Plains looks from the air, calling it “a spectacular city we live in in White Plains and how many trees we have. White Plains is really a city in a park.”
Boykin said there was construction material all over the 35th floor, of course, but it was not scary and there was a guard wire at the edge, though he did not go up to the edge of the floor and look down. He was “O.K.” with the experience, he said.
Boykin reported Cappelli has saying the first tenants would move in to the North Tower in March, 2004, although renting has not begun as yet. “Cappelli says he’s going to rent 30 apartments a month.” Boykin added.
Touring the Inner Sanctum of the City Center
Next Mr. Boykin, said, Mr. Cappelli directed the construction elevator to stop at the 28th floor and the 9th floor of the evolving apartment tower, to show the council the difference in views from the various levels. Finally the entourage was shown the movie theater complex on the third floor of the City Center below. The 16 theaters are now under construction by National Amusements, Inc.
“They are going to be magnificent.” Boykin said. “They’re just beginning to start framing them in, and then we went down to Target, (on the below street level of the City Center) and they’re beginning to start framing, and within a month, they’re going to be ready to start stocking it.”
Performing Arts Center Report
Asked about the White Plains Performing Arts Center construction, the Council President said, “They’re just beginning to start laying it out. They’re starting to put up some of the mezzanine. When you come into the breezeway or walkway, tyou will come in to an open area and you can look down into the bottom of the theater. That’s going to be open with glass around it.”
Boykin said he did not know who was putting in “the guts” of the operating Performing Arts Center. Boykin said the theatre “would have their own people doing that,” but said he did not know who would construct the technical operating facilities. He did say that National Amusements had offered to design the Performing Arts Center for the city. “It’s all going to come together within the next couple of months.”
Theatres Already a Rave.
Mr. Boykin said, “National Amusements is putting together the East Coast Showplace. They normally spend about $6 Million putting in a theater like this. They’re spending $10 Million putting this theater together. There will be places when you leave the theater, where you can talk about the movie; they’re putting in a very upscale, extremely elegant theater. Cappelli is putting together his crown jewel here. He really is. This City Center will be the talk of the East Coast.”
