The Towers of Cappelli: The Latest Designs. Controversy Lurks.

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During the Common Council Work Session last week, Louis Cappelli, the Super Developer presented two newly developed designs for his “Twin Towers of Cappelli” he plans for his City Center project at Mamaroneck and Main.
At the session, Cappelli shared some new facts about the two residential apartment towers. They would all be rentals. Each tower would actually rise to a height of 38 stories, not 34, when the cupolas of the buildings were taken into account. Each cupola would house boilers, elevator machinery, and air-conditioning units, and automatically goes as of right with the zoning the Council is considering for the site. That 340 feet height privilege for Cappelli’s 7-acre site is being considered Tuesday evening.

WPCNR News learned Tuesday, that some prominent architects familiar with these designs plan to speak out against these designs as not being rich enough looking or classy enough for the city. They plan to do this at tonight’s Common Council meeting.

However, initial reaction from the Common Council was good last week. It is reported from Common Council sources that Fred Bland, the consultant from Beyer, Blinder, Belle whom the Council is relying on for guidance in the appropriateness of these towers, is dissappointed in the design, yet this could not be immediately confirmed.





CAPPELLI TOWER ONE

City Center Tower One is a predominant white brick and green glass design, with horizontal bricking pattern promoting a more grounded, solid feel to it, topped by a traditional slant roof cupola. This design gives a “lower” look to the building that Pauline Oliva, Councilperson most opposed to the height, liked. Mr. Cappelli advised the council that the first ten floors at the base of the building, being backed onto the City Center retail and theater complex cannot rent for substantial money, and can only command about $2 per square foot.

Consequently, he feels he needs the top six floors which move the building beyond the 28-story residential limit the Council is considering for the rest of the downtown “core” area. The top 6 stories, Cappelli says can command rentals of $3/square foot ($3,000 a month and up). According to Cappelli, that is “where the money is,” and is a make-or-break factor in the future success of the building.





CAPPELLI TOWER TWO WITH GOLD CROWN

City Center Tower Two is a white brick, white limestone and clear glass building with a vertical scheme that presents a “soaring to the heavens” look. On Tower Two, Cappelli’s architects have incorporated a slant gold roof pyramid design to the pinnacle portion at the top, reminiscent of the famous Metropolitan Life building in New York City.





CAPPELLI TOWER TWO AT NIGHT

City Center Tower Three was the design that appeared to impress Councilpersons the most. It combines vertical drama with horizontal “grounding” in a rich red brick pattern and clear glass pattern, topped by a substantial gold-plated mansard cupola.

Cappelli spoke in warm, seductive tones, describing the buildings as being “beacons,” “landmark, signature buildings,” that would be visible on the skyline at night for miles while lending an aura of hope, drama and success to the city.





CAPPELLI TOWER THREE WITH GOLD MANSARD ROOF

The landmark height decision is expected to made this week by the Common Council, either Tuesday evening or later this week. But, this does not mean the City Center is cleared for takeoff. The Special Permit approving the site plan will be taken up September 20, at which time the design of the building will be either approved or turned down by the Common Council.





CAPPELLI TOWER THREE AT NIGHT

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Achilles Heel of architectural taste is apparently going to be the vulnerable point of the project, and it appears that beginning Tuesday evening, architects opposed to these designs will be speaking out loudly and long right up until the September 20 day of decision.

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White Plains Finest Want YOU

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Do you want to join the best-equipped, best-trained, most respected police force in Westchester County? Apply to take the examination to become one of the law enforcement professionals who make the city what it is, a White Plains Police Officer. Filing Deadline for the December examination is October 12, 2001.

The White Plains Police Department is looking for a few good men and women, under 35 years old as of December 15, 2001.

To be considered for the examination, you must be a legal resident of Westchester, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland or Bronx County as of November 15, 2001, and continuosly until the date of appointment.

You must be a U.S. Citizen by the time you are appointed a member of the department.

All applicants who are appointed to the department, must have a high school diploma or GED, but do not need one at the time of the exam, and a New York State Driver’s License by the time they are appointed.

Pick up an application at either the City Hall Personnel Department, 255 Main Street, White Plains, or at the following locations: El Centro Hispano, 345 South Lexington Avenue, the Thomas H. Slater Community Center or the Commission on Human Rights, 2 Fischer Court, White Plains.

For more information, contact (914) 422-1258 or visit The City of White Plains website

The city is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

“Agenda to Remember:” Council Mulls White Plains of the Future at 8

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Tuesday evening, beginning at 8:00 PM, (previous edition reported a 7:30 start time), the Common Council will decide high impact matters affecting the city for decades: the City Center, zoning in the city core, restricted development in the neighborhoods, and whether or not to adapt an aggressive city environmental policy created by the Mayor with community groups.

The regular September Common Council meeting will be the first of the 21st century operating under a mandatory midnight curfew in place. Previously, WPCNR had been told the meeting would start at 7:30 PM, but The Mayor’s Office has confirmed that the normal 8 PM start is still in place.

Meetings, if still going on at midnight, will automatically “rollover” to continue on Wednesday evening (or Thursday evening at 7:30 PM.) As of this morning there was no agreement on exactly what date the meeting would continue on. The Mayor’s Office reported Friday that the Common Council has a “hand-shake” agreement to abide by the new curfew rule.

Greer, Mayor Clash on Speaker Time Limits.

Despite heavy pressure from Robert Greer at a work session where the marathon August 6 Common Council meeting lasting 7 hours, 40 minutes, was discussed, the Mayor refused to enforce any time limits on speakers. He said that people had a right to speak. Greer was unhappy with the Mayor’s position on time limits, saying the Mayor had the tools at his disposal to limit speakers. (The City Charter states speakers should be limited to 5 minutes.) Greer strongly suggested that speakers be limited to 5 minutes only. However, the rest of the Common Council in attendance, was silent on the 5-minute time limit. All were in agreement to the new 4-1/2 hour time limit on future council meetings with continuation to next available night.

Time Limit to be Tested Tuesday evening.

Tuesday evening will be a solid test of the midnight cutoff because it will be the night resuming three controversial public hearings and three resolutions on the Mayor’s Environmental Protection Initiative.

The Louis Cappelli City Center where the “Twin Towers of Cappelli” are planned will face its first test before the Common Council. As that public hearing resumes, the Council will decide on whether to permit a maximum height for residential buildings of 350 feet for development sites of “lots” greater than 200,000 square feet on the Cappelli site. If they approve this, they will schedule one more hearing on the City Center project for September 20, when they are scheduled to vote the Special Permit, and the financing for the project. If they refuse to approve the 34-story height, the City Center project may be dead in the water.

28 story apartments with 25 foot setbacks along Mamaroneck Avenue to be considered.

The council will also reopen the hearing on zoning changes proposed for the critical Main Street, down Mamaroneck Avenue to Post Road downtown. This hearing will consider amending the permitted height of residential buildings in the White Plains Downtown area to 280 feet, if they are set back 25 feet above the first floor retail.

The third “biggie” is a resumed hearing on residential zoning changes in the outlying residential neighborhoods, which was held over from the August meeting due to concern about what affect the new Floor Area Ratios proposed by the Planning Department would have on existing nonconforming homes. Commissioner of Planning Michael Graessle told WPCNR in August that the Planning Department has been looking at the ramifications of this issue and we expect some clarification of this issue Tuesday evening.

Environmental Protection Initiative Policy, Open Space Acquisition and D’Elia property deal at mercy of the Common Council

The council will be asked to approve a resolution formally establishing the Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee and establishing a $5 million acquisition funding mechanism tapping pension funds with ample reserves.

As part of the Environmental Protection Initiative parlay, the council will be asked to pass a resolution approving acquisition of the D’Elia property for $1.75 million, and agreeing to bond for the money.

This deal came under fire last week by Councilpersons Robert Greer, Rita Malmud, William King (a member of the Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee), and Benjamin Boykin II, because the Councilpersons wanted the Mayor to ask the county to defray the expense of the property with an Open Space contribution. Greer and his four fellow councilpersons asked Andy Spano for aid in a letter Wednesday afternoon, despite the Mayor’s assurance to them last Tuesday afternoon that he had a scheduled meeting with Spano to discuss financial aid.

The Mayor made clear to the Capital Projects Board, he intended to seek county, state and federal aid for this acquisition, but in order for the city to meet the New York Trust for Public Land 90-day deadline the Council needed to approve going to contract for the land with Arnold Orlando, the contractor who has agreed to sell the D’Elia property. It remains to be seen whether the Council will approve the resolution to acquire the property, pending possible aid in the future, or turn it down outright.

In other matters, the council is scheduled to set in motion a lowering of the tax delinquency interest charge from 25% to 12%.

They will consider granting Kelly’s Pub and Grill and Thirsty Turtle establishments a Special Permit for an outdoor dining area.

They will hold a public hearing permitting six-story apartments on behalf of former Councilman Bill Brown’s proposed senior housing apartments on South Kensico Avenue.

The complete agenda may be viewed onThe City of White Plains website

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Carmen Leggio, Romantic Sax for 60 years, leads Festival on 22nd at Arts Council

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Donovan Guy, impresario for the Westchester Jazz Legends Music Series will present the righteous Carmen Leggio and his Quartet for an evening of romantic jazz standards Saturday night, September 22 at the Westchester Arts Council Building as the keynoter in the 2001 Legends lineup.
The Westchester Arts Council building will turn into an old-fashioned jazz club without the smokey blue haze and drinks September 22, when Carmen Leggio, “The Tenor Man from Tarrytown” eases in for a one-night stand.

Guy reports that Leggio’s career headlined the original Birdland night club in the early 50s. He’s best known for his long association with Yonkers resident, Gene Krupa, and Carmen’s jazz career spans six decades.

“The Tenorman from Tarrytown” played with Maynard Ferguson’s All Stars Big Band. He was lead saxophone with Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd, with Benny Goodman’s Sextet, and the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.

The Tenorman with the Big Bell Sound

Leggio has been playing the same unique big bell tenor Gold Medal SML saxophone since 1961. The instrument, made by Strasser, Marigaux & Lemaire, with a bell over 6 inches in diameter, was given him by Jack Loeb, Manhattan importer of SML saxophones in 1961.





CARMEN LEGGIO as he appeared in the 1960s in a vintage advertisement for SML saxophones, from the SML website.

“I don’t know much about horns and mouthpieces,” Leggio (now in his 70s) explained his affection to writer Fred Cicetti, for his antique saxophone which is almost as old as he is. “A friend of mine (Loeb) got me to the right sax and set-up and I just stayed with it because it worked for me. A sax is like a pair of shoes. If you get a pair that is comfortable, you can learn how to do any kind of dance in them.”

The Willie Mays of Tenormen

Leggio can dance. His body language says “saxman.” Fred Cicetti, the jazz writer describes him as slightly stooped over, and his head bent down a bit. Cicetti writing on the SML website, loves his playing style: “Leggio blows tenor the way Willie Mays ran down a flyball. They both let you know from the get-go that you’ll never be able to do it their way.”

Man of a Thousand Songs

Leggio’s name means “music stand” in Italian, though he never uses one, because as Carmen says, “I have thousands of songs memorized. I can hear a song once and know how to play it. In my whole life, I’ve never bought a piece of sheet music.”

Jazz aficionados and couples looking for a moody evening in White Plains and what great tenor is should snap of a pair of the limited ducats for Carmen and his quartet. Only 200 seats will be sold.

The performance is at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, the Westchester Arts Council Building on Saturday night, September 22. The gig is from 7 to 10 PM. Tickets are $20 in advance,$25 at the door, and may be purchased at the Arts Council Building, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue. Call 328-0671 or 428-4220 for more details.





“The Tenorman from Tarrytown” Today. He’ll be appearing one night only, 7 PM to 10, Septemeber 22 at the Westchester Arts Council first floor rotunda. Tickets are $20 in advance, call328-0671 or 428-4220.

LocalBoy Plays Good

Leggio taught himself to play, first on the clarinet, trying to imitate Artie Shaw playing on the radio. Carmen still plays Artie’s romantic showstoppers: “Stardust,” “Nightmare” and “Begin the Beguine,” but when he does, he plays them on an old King metal clarinet like Artie.

By age 14, the lure of sax overcame him and he switched to tenor sax, and Leggio landed gigs in night clubs in Tarrytown.

His father was not happy: “I quit high school, because I knew I was meant to be a musician,” Leggio told writer Fred Cicetti in a recent interview. “But my father was so angry he didn’t speak to me for years. On his deathbed, he admitted I was right to leave school.” Carmen still lives in Tarrytown where he got his start in jazz, and is still recording.

Recording artist

His last album is “Sax After Midnight for Lovers,” on which he lends is smooth big tenor touch “My Foolish Heart,” “Angel Eyes,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” and “When Your Lover Has Gone,” and other favorite standards.

Cicetti describes the album stylings this way: “Leggio provides a lot of breath and vibrato to seduce his listeners. He sounds a bit like Ben Webster, but with even softer edges. The tone he gets throughout the range of his tenor will put anyone in the mood for love.”

In the mood for romantic sax

Mr. Leggio will appear at the Arts Council first floor rotunda with Chris Parker on skins, Doug Abrams at the keyboard, and Lou Stelluti on bass, and their stylings will be given an added dimension by Glenda Davenport joining them as vocalist.

What is Leggio’s big bell sound?

He explains why he has played his big bell SML for 41 years: “I loved it, because of the tone the bigger bell gives you. I also liked that it was heavy. I like a heavy horn because it’s like a heavy car—it holds the road better. I was told that Coleman Hawkins played an SML and that influenced me a little, too.”

Cecetti reports that Carmen accidently ran over his beloved saxophone last year and had to have his repairman, Jay Beers, attempt to repair it: “He did an incredible job,” Carmen reports. “Actually it sounds even better now. I have no idea why. It’s darker and mellower.”

White Plains hipsters can hear that “darker, mellower” sound — what tenor sax is all about September 22.

Save Time and Money, Order Tickets for All Concerts now

Coming up in the series after Carmen’s performance:

October 27, the Jazz Legends presents Fred Smith & The Masters of Swing.
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November 24, it’s the Jimmy Hill Quartet with Alto Sax smoothie, Jimmy Hill performing.
A fourth concert is in the process of being booked. Jazz buffs may order a ticket for all 4 concerts for $75, 3 concerts, $55, 2 concerts,$35. Tickets for the Leggio performance are $20 apiece in advance, $25 at the door.