WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. November 29. 2004, Updated with New Photo: Louis Cappelli, The Super Developer, has had enough of being cast as a developer with motives and strings attached to his $1,000,000 gift to Samaritan House.

He announced to WPCNR Monday he is within a couple of weeks of  a contract signing with Grace Church where Mr. Cappelli would renovate the annex complex using his construction crews to include the Samaritan House section, the soup kitchen and serving area, completely refurbishing the Grace Church annex without the church spending a dime.

LOUIS CAPPELLI at the Common Council in August. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

MR. CAPPELLI is standing by to renovate the interior of the Grace Episcopal Church annex, at right behind Grace Church on Church Street. City Center is at end of the street. Photo by WPCNR News

Louis Cappelli Explains It All.

Mr. Cappelli contacted WPCNR Monday evening to clear the air on his $1,000,000 Gift to Grace Church and Samaritan House for renovation services, announced one week ago.  The character of gift was first indicated to be cash by Grace Church Rector Janet Vincent, then described to WPCNR by Bruce Berg, President of  Cappelli Enterprises as a services only arrangement.

The Super Developer told WPCNR “I’m tired of being cast as the devil” and angrily said “ This an absolute 100% gesture of  good faith. The quid pro quo on this deal is ZERO!”

Cappelli in hurt, clipped, measured tones said, “I need nothing from them. I have the air rights over Grace Church , the building rights, that all came with the Halpern deal. There is nothing I need from them.”

Can You Help Us?

Cappelli told the story of how his Million Dollar Gift took shape:

 “I was approached during their Oasis of Hope Campaign a year and a half ago, and was asked could you help us? I  said as a neighbor would. I would donate $500,000 towards your Oasis of Hope campaign. I hired an architect (Bill Pfaff) to complete the (architectural) plan for them.”

The Super Developer said he paid Pfaff $75,000 for the plan.

Cappelli said Pfaff  met with the Grace Church team and based on their needs, Cappelli said  a set of plans was created for the new annex  that  called for:

“A. A complete renovation of the soup kitchen, and B., a complete upgrade and renovation of Samaritan House. “

Cappelli said the Samaritan House quarters, kitchen and building  was getting a full makeover with new bathrooms, new fixtures, new furnishings, a new heating and air conditioning system,  even new elevators. He said Pfaff’s plan modernized the soup kitchen, too.

Work Poised to Start.

Cappelli said no work has been started yet. He expected the contract to be signed for his firm to execute the work at the same time he begins to build the 221 Main complex adjacent to Grace Church. “The contract hasn’t been done. Just a few little things to tie up.”

After the plans were done, Cappelli said, “ I’m building the new building next door  and at 300 Mamaroneck (The Jefferson). How about I build this for you? I decided to pick up the tab.”

Saves Grace Church Hundreds of Thousands.

The Super Developer said that if he did not construct the annex makeover for the church that it would cost them well over the million dollars he estimates it will cost him in materials and construction (at considerably less cost), than if Grace Church used an independent contractor.

Mr. Cappelli reports Grace is in the process of hiring their own construction manager to oversee Mr. Cappelli’s work at this time.

The Super Developer reminded WPCNR of his cash gift to build the Renaissance Plaza Fountain, and his agreement to construct the Performing Arts Center as part of the City Center project.

‘I’m tired of being cast as the devil. I’m donating a building. I’m tired of seeing my name tossed up and being (expletive deleted) over.”