WPCNR THE BUILDING NEWS. From Cappelli Enterprises. July 3, 2008: Louis Cappelli has secured $700 Million in financing for the Concord Resort development approved last week by the State legislature.  

Geoff Thompson, spokesperson for Cappelli Enterprises, reported to WPCNR Wednesday afternoon that Louis Cappelli, “The Super Developer,”   creator of the White Plains Renaissance, through his building of the City Center and the Ritz-Carlton Westchester in White Plains has secured $1 Billion in financing to proceed with his casino-resort on the grounds of the former Concord Hotel in Sullivan County, in an effort with Empire Resorts to bring back that faded resort area back. 

The Concord Resort and Golf Club from Satellite Prior to Demolition, viewed from Space. 

The source(s) of the $700 Million in bank debt were not identified, pending closing on the financing. Demolition has begun on the  old Concord Hotel. The spokesperson said Mr. Cappelli is not looking at any other casino development sites in the state at this time.

In Cappelli activities in White Plains the representative reported  the opening of the second tower at the White Plains Ritz-Carlton, (center, looming above the Ritz Carlton Hotel) would be in November, and that Mr. Cappelli still planned to move his Valhalla headquarters to the first 14 floors of the Ritz Carlton second tower this summer.

WPCNR The Zoning Zone. From a WPCNR Correspondent. July 3, 2008: The Zoning Board of Appeals heard about twenty persons speaking out against the assisted living complex proposed to be built in Scarsdale by Renamba LLC, with access from White Plains (with White Plains water, sewer, and electricial connections),  through the driveway of the Westchester Ethical Culture Society. The project, if built, would destroy a vast area of the "woods" of Saxon Woods to the south of Saxon Woods Road.

 All but one of the residents were opposed to the project which had been denied by the White Plains Building Commissioner. The project was originally proposed in 2002. The developer now seeks a variance or Special Permit use from the ZBA. The Corporation Counsel, Edward Dunphy said not all comments had been turned in as yet from the various boards and commissioners in the city. The Zoning Board continued the  hearing until September 3, at which time it indicated it would take a vote on the project.

WPCNR THE BUILDING NEWS. Special to WPCNR from White Plains CitizeNetReporter Correspondents. July 2, 2008: LCOR, the developers of 55 Bank Street, the 536-Unit residential “showcase” affordable housing project approved in May, 2007 by the Common Council announced to the council Wednesday afternoon they could not raise the $300 Million in one lump sum to finance the project in today’s financial conditions. 

Peter Gilpatric, center of photo, of LCOR, Shown April 12, 2007 when the Common Council was considering a PILOT on the 55 Bank Street property. (WPCNR News Archive)

 of LCOR and LCOR attorneys William Null and Robert Feder of Cuddy & Feder proposed instead a substantial redesign of the project to keep it alive. Trading two slender pillars for one long 28-story building running the entire block of the property  fronted by a short 14-story building and a different configuration for the parking garage. The project is a complete redesign, which Gilpatric hopes to get underway by mid-summer, 2009, financing forthcoming.

LCOR also proposed a two month delay in paying the $5 Million installment it owes on the commuter parking lot the city sold LCOR last spring to build the project on. LCOR has Lehman Brothers lined up for that payment if the Common Council and Urban Renewal Agency approve this "save" of the project.

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. July 1, 2008: Filene's Basement, an original City Center tenant that  opened for business in April, 2004, confirmed what Filene employees had been saying last week, that the City Center store would be closing August 31.

Pat Boudrot, a spokespersons for Filene's released a statement to WPCNR late Monday afternoon, saying "Filene's regrets that dut to material violations of the lease, Filene's will be closing August 31, 2008." Asked what specifically those material violations were, Ms. Boudrot declined.

Neither the owner of City Center, nor Filene's would confirm the rumors of the closing when asked about the closing by WPCNR Friday. 

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE. June 25, 2008: The Common Council explored this evening a major increase in the charge the city makes for sidewalk cafe footage. The fee per square foot of cafe footage has not been increased since 1987 and currently sits on $3 a square foot. Currently 30 restaurants in the city (25 in downtown), pay a total of $26,531 annually in square footage rental for their sidewalk cafes. Each cafe, the Commissioner of Public Works noted is about 300 square feet of sidewalk surface.

Music in the Cafes at Night Magic in the Air to cost restaurants more? White Plains Week anchors, Jim Benerofe and John Bailey  working on their weekly news show at the Starbucks Cafe on Renaissance Square. White Plains has 30 sidewalk cafes the Common Council feels should be paying more for City Sidewalks.

Councilperson Rita Malmud was very much for a substantial increase in this fee. Paul Wood, City Executive Officer said he would undertake a survey to see what other municipalities typically charged for square footage. It was also mentioned by Councilperson Tom Roach the city should look into charging for rooftop dining, noting the emergence of a recent rooftop restaurant in the city.

WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 23, 2008: Con Edison reported to WPCNR last week that White Plains and area electric customers rates per kilowatt hour would increase 56.4% in customers’ June bills arriving in mailboxes shortly.

The cost per kilowatt hour in May was 18.08 cents per kilowatt hour, made up of 11.06 cents for Con Edison purchase of electricity for us, and 7.02 cents for the infrastructure delivery charge. Con Edison spokesperson Joe Petta reported that in June bills the cost of electricity would rise to 16.2 cents and the cost of delivery to 12.1 cents, totaling 28.3 cents per kilowatt hour.

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. John Bailey Interviews Bob Meyerson. June 22, 2008: To get a sense of what today’s housing market is really like in White Plains, WPCNR interviewed Bob Meyerson, a mortgage banker with offices in White Plains with Wachovia Mortgage. Meyerson has been a mortgage banker for thirteen years in the White Plains market, and as he put it, he was there “when the real estate boom started, and now here at the end.”

Asked how the White Plains market is today, Meyerson described it as “coming back, slowly coming back. Real Estate firms are starting to do business."

He said larger real estate firms in the White Plains market were doing better, but felt the smaller firms were hurting and not all of them would survive.

WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. June 22, 2008 UPDATED 10:30 P.M. EDT: A total of 629 customers are without power in the Hartsdale Avenue, Old Mamaroneck Road area, according to Con Edison spokesperson, Bob McGhee, due to a downed power wire. He estimates power will be back on at about 9:30 P.M. Power was lost to 129 homes at 7:40 P.M. and more homes had "to be taken out" in order to repair the wire.

At 9:30, WPCNR received word power had returned to the effected area. As of 10:30 P.M., Con Edison was reporting 50 to 150 customers out throughout the Westchester County area, but no power outages in White Plains. Outages can be viewed at www.conedison.com/stormcenter/

WPCNR Quill & Eyeshade.  By John F. Bailey. June 19, 2008 UPDATED WITH RETAIL CHART 12:15 P.M. EDT:  White Plains residents who heat with oil should plan now to handle a startling 50% increase in the cost of local fuel oil.

White Plains residents who heat their homes with oil got “a bit of bad news” this week. About this time of year, homeowners who purchase home heating oil on a monthly budget plan get their new contract from their fuel oil dealer.  They are in for a shock. Heating oil for next year will cost you more than a gallon of gas. The bill above provides No. 2 Fuel Oil for the "bargain" of $906 a month for 10 months, $9,060 a Year.

Feed Me, Seymour:

Homeowners will be burning 50% more money in their oil burners this year.

The cost of a gallon of heating oil has  jumped 50%  to $4.70 a gallon (more than the $4.40 for a gallon of regular gasoline) . The sharp increase is due to the runup in crude oil prices, and the export of oil distillate (from which heating oil and diesel fuel is made) from U.S. refineries to foreign markets, according to the U.S. Government Energy Information Agency..

WPCNR ANIMAL NEWS. From Westchester County Department of Health. June 16, 2008: The Westchester County Department of Health is issuing a Rabies Alert to residents who may have had contact with a potentially rabid coyote in the vicinity of Terrace Place in Cortlandt Manor.

A resident reported today that on June 7, a coyote attacked two dogs behind her home. The coyote killed a dachshund and came back for the carcass despite being yelled at. The 80-pound shepherd mix required 22 stitches and the owner is being treated as a precaution because she handled the injured dog immediately after the attack and may have been exposed to the coyote’s saliva. The coyote’s aggression and lack of fear of humans can be indicators that the animal is rabid.

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. June 14, 2008: Governor David Patterson, New York's First African-American Governor drew applause and congratulations from citizens lining Mamaroneck Avenue from one end of the thorofare to the other today as he lead the White Plains Juneteenth Parade. Walking side by side with Mayor Joseph Delfino, Governor Patterson often stopped to shake hands with sidewalk viewers of all ages and nationalities.

 Citizens turned out in large numbers, larger than St. Patrick's Day Parades and they waited patiently in the sweltering 85 degree humidity to welcome the Governor. In an unexpected address on the steps of City Hall, Governor Patterson noted that the hills around Silver Lake in White Plains was one of the first places freed slaves dwelt. He also lauded Mayor Joseph Delfino for the Mayor's reviving White Plains through development and invited the Mayor to come to Albany and serve on a committee to advise other communities and the state in what to do to get communities back on track.

Governor Patterson ( with State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins, right) stopped to shake hands of many who came out to see him

Governor Patterson stirred the crowd with a short, strong speech without notes, pointing out that Juneteenth, a celebration of the freeing of the slaves during the Civil War, was more than just that, saying it was a day to celebrate "victories." He noted that 2/3 of the children around the world are still in pursuit of their heritage and freedom, but that Juneteenth was "a day to celebrate our victories." He recalled that Senator Robert Kennedy said in 1966 when asked when America might elect a black man President, said "in about 40 years." Patterson noted that now, just 42 years later, that could happen. The Governor reflected that "an African-American man could be elected President, and what it can mean to so many young people." He said one day a Hispanic could be elected Senator, or even a Republican could be elected Governor (making a well-received aside that drew many laughts) and that might be possible if Mayor Delfino ran for Governor.

Crowd Applauds Patterson's Speech. Throng lined both sides of Main Street about 10 persons deep to hear Mr. Patterson.

He said the real significance of celebrating Juneteenth, was it represented not just "the achievements of any one group, but the height of what any person can do of importance in their life."

In a brief meeting with reporters after his speech in the rotundra of City Hall, Governor Patterson said his reception was very meaningful and he took very seriously the obligation to live up to the faith the people have placed in him. He said he expected to resolve the OTB closing crisis in New York amicably with New York City to the satisfaction of both state and city.. The Governor also said when asked by WPCNR if he was personally going to review the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement decision said "Yes,"  he would without elaborating.

Mayor Delfino bids Governor Patterson a handshake as the Governor left City Hall. Mayor Delfino, in introducting the Governor said Juneteenth was "the happiest of days" because it celebrates "the dignity and potential of all human beings."

WPCNR REAL ESTATE REPORT. From Cushman & Wakefield. June 13, 2008 (Edited): RPW Group, the firm owned by the well-known White Plains renovator of commercial office properties, Robert Weisz,  and Cushman & Wakefield today announced the completion of the sale of Harrison Court Medical Center, a five-building complex located at 220, 222, 226, 230, and 244 Westchester Avenue in Harrison, NY. RPW Group sold the 189,197 square-foot property to Pro Med Properties for $53.3 million.  The transaction is the largest commercial property sale year-to-date in Westchester County.

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. June 10, 2008: A spokesperson for Con Edison today reported 7 White Plains residents were without power for a few hours Monday evening, but had power fully restored in a few hours. The spokesperson for Con Edison, Chris Olert, noted that the company ability to weather the relentless demand for power caused by the 95 degree heat Monday was helped in part due to the company’s investment in infrastructure last year and the installation of a new substation in Yonkers. As of this morning at 10:30 A.M., Olert reported no outages in White Plains. Currently as of 11:15 A.M. the temperature outside of WPCNR White Plains news studios, the temperature is 90 degrees in the shade.