WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. April 8, 2004. Updated with New Pictures 11:20 A.M. E.D.T. :  Louis Cappelli presented the new site plan for his Cappelli Hotel Condoplex, "The Triple Towers" Wednesday evening in the leadoff spot on the Common Council agenda. The Common Council approved their Environmental Findings Statement on the project and will hold a hearing on the site plan in May, after discussion and tweaks to the site plan in the next four weeks.

WHY WRAP THE BAR BUILDING? Super Developer Louis Cappelli introduced plans to wrap his hotel facade up flush to the 20-story height of the Bar Building to obscure the view from the 34 story condominium towers of the East and North sides of the building, which he said presented a poor view. He said he hoped the Common Council since it has paid so much attention to the appearance and size aspects of his hotel project, would make an effort to assure the facade of the Bar Building would be maintained, perhaps removing air conditioners, and upgraded since The Bar Building is the first thing that is seen coming down the Main Street block.  The above photograph was taken April 3, 2004.  Photo by WPCNR News. 

CAPPELLI WRAPAROUND:  Here is how the Wraparound works according to this preliminary Cappelli rendering presented Wednesday night. Note how the white hotel entrance runs up the entire height of the Bar Building, flush on the East side of the Bar Building (the brown block). View is looking North of the Triple Towers on Main. In foreground is Renaissance Plaza Fountain. Bar Building is on the corner. Grace Church is at far right. Extension of Court Street is at left. Photo by WPCNR News.

Cappelli proposed a collonade entrance to the hotel-retail complex on Main Street that would wrap around the bland East and North walls of the Bar Building, sparing hotel guests and condominium owners views of the ancient brick walls. He also showcased his open space plan which generated 23.1% of open space on the ground, and added rooftop greenery to the hotel.

Bruce Beck, the Super Developer's right-hand man, said the project was on schedule to be approved in May. Mr. Cappelli said he had completed negotiations with the Bar Building owner for the annex that he is planning to acquire that would enable the new site plan to be executed. Cappelli said he is not negotiating with Mr. Longhitano on The rest of the Bar Building at the present time.

CLOSE UP OF COLLONADE ENTRANCE: The Super Developer said more detailed views of how the Colonade would look would be coming soon. Photo by WPCNR News.

HOTEL CARESSES THE BAR BUILDING: The overhead detail of how The Super Developer intends his hotel to ease up flush to the Bar Building. Main Street is at right. Note the closeness of the Hotel lobby entrance Colonade on East Side of Bar Building (the light square on lower corner of the plan), and how the Hotel slides around the North side of the Bar Building. Entrance to parking is on the left. Green is landscaping. Cappelli said the Hotel lobby should open to a plush "whisky bar" as you enter the colonade to posh retail (in yellow), on the right. Mr. Cappelli said more renderings with considerably more detail were to follow. Photo by WPCNR News.

OPEN SPACE PARKS ON ROOF OF HOTEL BETWEEN "THE TRIPLE TOWERS:" Mr. Cappelli said more open Space would be usable for guests and residents of the "Triple Towers" on the roof of the hotel complex, shown in green here. The Bar Building is at lower right corner. The Main Street "Tower" is slightly above it. The middle Tower is of course, in the middle, the office complex, or residential building if office does not fly in the market conditions, is at far left. Photo by WPCNR News.