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The Common Council voted approval of the Louis Cappelli City Center project unanimously Thursday evening, leaving a $275 million check from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce as the final piece left to continue what Mayor Delfino described as “a great adventure.”
A jubilant, magnanimous Louis Cappelli, described the City Center as the greatest project he has ever undertaken. He thanked the Common Council and the Mayor for their cooperation, their feedback and honesty, (“despite some tense moments”). He saluted the City of White Plains Planning and Building Departments, their host of boards as being the best staffs “foremost” of any he has ever worked with on any of his projects in his 30 years as a developer.

CAPPELLI THANKS COMMON COUNCIL FOR HIS DREAM PROJECT: Louis Cappelli said when he was taking Robert Greer on a tour of New Roc City two years ago, that he wished he had the Tishman-Speyer Project. Thursday night that wish came true as the Common Council granted the Super Developer the City Center project. WPCNR PHOTO

The $350 million project will bring a host of goodies to White Plains.

Cappelli will contribute $500,000 towards a redesign of the Main and Mamaroneck fountain, as part of the City Center acquiring EJ Conroy Drive. He has secured tax abatement from the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency that will result in the City of White Plains taking over the new parking garage he will build 7 years sooner, bringing an additional $20 million to the city. He will build a community performing arts theater inside the 16-screen theater, retail and restaurant complex in the city’s heart.

Architecture by Committee

He has granted the Common Council design approval of the two 34-story apartment complexes, which are being designed by Frederick Bland of Beyer, Blinder, Belle of New York. The Council will also have some input into what the exterior of the City Center will look like in the complex 94-page resolution approved by the Council officially at 9:18 PM Thursday night.

Full steam ahead.

Cappelli said after the historic approval that he had all properties he needed to acquire “under contract.” In two weeks he expected to have a 24-foot foundation dug from EJ Conroy Drive to Mamaroneck to Martine to Main Street.

On the question of financing, Cappelli told WPCNR that closing on his Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce loan had been delayed a week from September 25 to October 2. The Super Developer said he had a letter of commitment for $275 million in financing, and “expected no problems.” Cappelli indicated he had not decided yet how construction of the new parking garage would be timed. He would either build it first and open it early, or delay it a year. He predicted the City Center and apartments would be opened by August of 2003.

Common Council commentaries laud developer

Council President Rita Malmud said Thursday evening was “a culmination of a year of effort to find the right way to develop the downtown. The Cappelli project is the best opportunity in over a decade to do so. I applaud the Cappelli company for agreeing to a higher standard of architecture.”

Ms. Malmud expressed the desire that a mural be painted on the Martine Avenue side of the project. She also reported that the Cappelli company would be paying non-discounted permit fees to the city well in access of $400,000. Malmud expressed some concern about what would happen if a fire broke out on the 34th floor of the apartments.

Fire Chief Mark Damon assured her that White Plains fire codes require sprinklers and a smoke purifying system and are the strictest in the state.

Benjamin Boykin II,stated that with the approval of the City Center, “We begin to move forward for future generations…we need to move forward as soon as possible…the Council contributed by demanding great architecture. On Monday we saw a new design (for the apartment towers), that I think is a great improvement. It has a lot less bulk and a lot lower look. This is thanks to Councilman Greer and who said we should not compromise on the architecture and design, and we hired Beyer, Blinder Belle in July to advise us.”

Councilman Larry Delgado said “I want to thank Mr. Cappelli and all of his team. I thank the Mayor and his staff. I know how hard they have worked, how many late nights they have put in.”

COUNCILMAN LARRY DELGADO CASTS HIS VOTE, THANKS STAFF FOR “LATE NIGHTS THEY PUT IN.” Councilman William King followed with pleas for more inspired design from Fred Bland.WPCNR PHOTO

Councilman Robert Greer said “A successful project has many fathers and mothers and a failure is an orphan. Mrs. Malmud and I fought together to have movies downtown years ago, and now this (City Center) is the product of that effort.” Greer complimented the developer on being able to accept council direction on the project and resolve problems as they arose. He also congratulated Mr. Cappelli on moving to hire Frederick Bland, “a first-rate architect rather than one who is not quite first rate.”

Councilman William King remarked that “I am glad to vote for this project. We are just as confident in White Plains now as we were before September 11. I want to thank the staff who developed a 94 page resolution in two days.” King expressed that he did not like the new Bland design: “It doesn’t bowl me over. I think it’s looking a little bulky and we need a more classic look.” He said he hoped we would look at alternate forms of transportation other than the automobile.

Councilwoman Pauline Oliva came full cycle and supported the project after being against it from the start. “You won me over, Mr. Cappelli, your sensitivity to what we asked for. I was very impressed. You hired Mr. Bland to work up another design, and I have to compliment you for that.”

Mayor Joseph Delfino wrapped up the evening, remarking “You can’t imagine how I feel…Three years ago I didn’t know where to start…I’ve never seen a project of this magnitude move as fast. Tonight, each and every one of you in White Plains is who we thought of, is who we dreamed of in doing this project.”
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MAYOR JOSEPH DELFINO OPENS MACY’S TIME CORNERSTONE. The Mayor reads from a letter from the President of Macy’s, written in 1954, that professed skepticism that White Plains could support a department store. Also inside the capsule, which Louis Cappelli’s crews had removed from the Macy’s site were copies of The Reporter Dispatch, that worried about a “Thruway Threat.”WPCNR PHOTO

At 9:18 PM, the role was called and the project was approved. A new era in White Plains had begun.

In other business, firemen raise $41,000 for Trade Center victim relief
The Fire Chief, William Daimon, reported that White Plains firefighters had raised $41,000 Thursday morning by firemen passing “the boot” at key White Plains intersections. The chief said the firemen would be out passing “the boot” again Friday morning. Be sure to contribute!

Senior housing on Kensico receives zoning go-ahead

The 42-unit senior housing project envisioned by Bill Brown for Kensico Avenue opposite the Eastview track still must receive site plan approval.

Frederick Bland of Beyer Blinder Belle presented his first pencil sketches of how the City Center residential apartment towers should look Monday, and impressed Council and City Boards favorably. Bland totally rejected Cappelli’s previous designs for “not telling a story.”

Plea for Thursday approval.

At the opening of the Monday morning meeting, Louis Cappelli said because of the severe uncertainty of the financial markets, closing on the financing with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was “the most important piece of the project.”

The developer said, “getting an approval (Thursday) I would be able to finance the building.” He hoped the Council would “give an approval based on direction (of the design). I have no problems, subsequent to that approval to come back on an architectural level. He (Bland) is going to have to have feedback on the design today.”

Financing still a “go,” as of Monday morning

Cappelli, holding court with news reporters on the City Hall Mezzanine awaiting Bland’s arrival said he was assured by his contact at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce that even after the Trade Center attack last week, CIBC was still on track to finance the City Center project.

Delgado: approval likely

It appears the Common Council seing the rough sketches Frederick Bland presented, is ready to give that amended site plan approval. Larry Delgado, Councilman, commented after the meeting, he felt approval was certain Thursday. His comment, asked by Alex Philippidis of Westchester County Business Journal if the votes were there for approval, was “Oh yes,” with a nod of his head.

BLAND HOLDS THEM IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND: Frederick Bland of Beyer, Blinder, Belle entrances the Common Council and city boards with his new design for the Cappelli City Center Residential towers. WPCNR PHOTO

The Common Council, Planning Board, Design Review Board, Conservation Board and Urban Renewal Agency were hold spellbound on Frederick Bland as he unveiled his first pencil sketches of his vision for the Cappelli City Center residential towers.

Bland presented the evolution of his concept in three basic pencil sketches.

Nevertheless, the rapt audience liked what they saw.

The city’s recent severe critics of the Cappelli triumphal towers designs last week expressed outright support for the new Bland concept.

THE HANGING GARDENS OF BLAND: Bland’s new design for each of the 34-story towers which will face each other on opposite corners of ertswhile EJ Conroy Drive. It consists of custom penthouses at the top left tower, double-floored glass window treatments shooting down the vertical tower and elaborate stepbacks for recreational space, with possible wraparound windows on the cornices.
WPCNR PHOTO

The Common Council rejected original Cappelli designs September 4, after 5 weeks of design development by Cappelli’s team in a direction the Council had indicated the project should follow. The late objections to Cappelli’s designs were raised when council members were secretly informed by fax prior to that September 4 meeting by Robert Levine and William Rose (of the Urban Renewal Agency) and Robert Stackpole (of the Planning Board) that Bland was willing to try his hand at designing the towers.

Critics won over quickly

William Rose of the Design Review Board and Rita Malmud liked Bland’s design Monday. Robert Greer, Larry Delgado, and Benjamin Boykin II weighed in with favorable reviews of Bland’s dramatic, stepped tower with segmented horizontal and vertical glass treatments, hanging gardens, and as-yet-to-be-designed crown.

VIEW FROM CITY HALL OF THE HANGING GARDENS OF BLAND, showing the stepbacks envisioned by Bland. He sees building telling a story, and providing many custom designed apartments making for higher rentals.WPCNR PHOTO

The drawings specified neither materials combinations nor design combinations in detailed form. William King was the lone Councilman who said there were many good things he liked about Cappelli’s design and cautioned Bland “not to throw out the baby with the bathwater.” The Mayor had no comment.

Eight more weeks of design needed, Bland says.

Bland said he and his firm needed about eight more weeks to complete the single design. He said, with Louis Cappelli’s permission, he would be pleased to incorporate the concerns and suggestions of all of the persons on the assembled Boards coming back at regular intervals to do presentations. Cappelli, smiling thinly but congenially, said he was fine with that, and after the meeting that broke at 11 AM, said, “I’m Mr. Flexible, today.”

Praise from the critics

John Garment, another critic of the Cappelli originals, and of the Planning Board, said he liked the new direction first: “This is a very positive step. It is beginning to look like a promising building we can be proud of in the City of White Plains. The penthouse is definitely vertical, and I would bring it down all the way. The step-ups from the street maximize the bulk of the building.”

Rose said, “I echo John’s comment. It will be interesting to see the next generation interpreting the role of construction choices.”

Allan Briscoe of the Design Review Board observed, “This is a remarkable job of bringing down the height. Very muting of elevation. I think of these as definite pluses. One plus one (facing each other) makes an overall statement that is more powerful and more compelling.”

Robert Levine, an observer, expressed desire that Bland take over designing the overall look of the project on all four sides in addition to the residential: “We’re thinking what’s next…The exterior retail options will be the best they can be if they have your imprint.”

However, Bland said he was not designing any of the exterior retail components of the project, and that he was working with the architect handling that, Ken Narva of Streetworks.

(Robert Levine is not on any of the boards reviewing the project, but appeared to influence Mr. Rose of the Urban Renewal Agency in protesting Cappelli’s original designs September 4. He is the man whose influence induced Bland to offer his services to design the project.)

Around the Horn

Rita Malmud, who told WPCNR September 4, she would know a great design when she saw it, said, “I think your idea for a different shape is a very positive direction. Shape and spin of the buildings are of extreme importance. Use of double windows, and steps, I think that is very good. It is good they lean (face) towards each other. I agree with the center shift (moving the tower to the left side of the apartment building), rather than the tower going straight down to the retailers.”

Malmud is still concerned about the design of the top, which Bland has not decided upon as of yet.

Robert Greer said, “The combination of vertical and levels makes the building(s) look less massive. The vertical (tower) could be different colors.”

FROM THE FRED BLAND SKETCH BOOK: Actual sketch of the Hanging Gardens of Bland that shows how one set of windows serves 2 floors. Note penthouse pinnacle at top where custom luxury suites are envisioned. Colors appearing are not suggested and are a result of retouching for display purposes only.WPCNR PHOTO

William King demurred to praise as much, saying, “I don’t think the buildings need to be redone. I don’t like white-gray (Bland’s suggested color combination).” King asked Bland, “Are you aware of Mr. Cappelli’s later designs?”

Bland said he had only seen the first set of designs Cappelli had originally done. King expressed Bland should look at the latest ones because “We shouldn’t be throwing out the baby with the bathwater.”

THE CAPPELLI TOWER DESIGN NOW HISTORY: The most favored Cappeli Tower design that the Common Council rejected September 4. WPCNR PHOTO

Pauline Oliva, weighing in, said, “You’ve been more sensitive to some of our city architecture, the Westchester Arts Council Building, City Hall, and the Greenpoint Bank Building. I feel it blends in.”

Larry Delgado observed, “We’re going in the right direction,” but worried whether the new design would “stand the test of time.” Mr. Bland said he could not guarantee that.

Benjamin Boykin II, wrapped up comments of the Council by reporting, “You’ve done a wonderful job on two things, redesigning the aesthetics of the building and making it look smaller.”

He also worried about the materials, and whether Cappelli would restrain Bland in any way on costs.

Cappelli opens checkbook again.

Cappelli smiling magnanimously said, “Fred has a free hand. I’m not restraining him in any way.”

Cappelli then renewed his pleas issued in his opening monologue at 8:15 AM: “Just the last thing I want is to get an approval and not to get my financing. Find us a way to achieve a great building, but give us a way to get financing on the project (next week).”

Breaking for comments

Susan Habel wrapped up the proceedings by advising the Council they could vote to approve the amended site plan Thursday evening as scheduled, and retain architectural control of the residential towers by granting what she called “an approval with conditions.”

Then the boards met separately in various chambers of City Hall to marshal their comments on the designs to offer a consensus of whether the design Bland presented was acceptable.

Late Monday afternoon, WPCNR has learned that the boards had returned a favorable enough response to proceed with the Thursday meeting. The Mayor’s office refused to comment on what they called “procedural issues.”

The procedure of how various Boards’ commentaries are going to be integrated in relation to the amended site plan for Council approval Thursday evening has not been reported yet by the Mayor’s office.

Bland said he had had only about three days to do the designs, and Cappelli said that he had worked with Bland in his home Friday in working on the new design.

The Council vote on the amended site plan approval for the City Center project is to be held Thursday evening at 7:30 PM.