WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. March 7, 2005: The Super Developer, Louis Cappelli, appeared with his all-business entourage before the Common Council Monday evening for the public hearing on the ordinance that would raise the heights of buildings permitted in the Central Business District to 40 stories, and the site plan amendment for Cappelli's 221 Main Street project.

LOUIS CAPPELLI, THE SUPER DEVELOPER, delivered a progress report on his 221 Main Street Hotel Condoplex Monday evening at the continued Public Hearing on the project. He promised closing on a $250 Million construction loan and announcement of his 5-Star Hotel Partner within 3 weeks. He also said he was willing to build 42 units of affordable housing at any site the city selects if the city preferred he not build them at 240 Main Street. Photo Capture from WPGA-TV White Plains Government Access Television by WPCNR News.

The site plan amendment would change the three-tower complex to two 40 story towers, would include100,000 square feet of business office space, 175,000 square feet of hotel and 635,000 square feet of condominium residential units.

HAVE WE GOT DESIGNS FOR YOU: In the course of his remarks, Mr. Cappelli said in response to Common Council complaints that his original two tower designs were "too boxy," and "a wall of glass," showed two new design concepts for the towers. Cappelli said he would be bringing forth new design concepts to the Council within the month. Photo Capture from WPGA-TV, White Plains Government Access Television by WPCNR News.

ANOTHER POSSIBILITY, SHOWING A DIFFERENT DESIGN FOR THE TOWERS shown by Mr. Cappelli Monday evening. Photo Capture from WPGA-TV, White Plains Government Access Television by WPCNR News.

He also addressed the affordable housing issue, saying he would pay $1.5 Million into the affordable housing kitty created for the city, (for which Mayor Delfino publicly thanked him),but Mr. Cappelli added he would also build 42 units of affordable housing.

He said  since some members of the council were opposed to his building the 42 units next to the Ginsburg Pinnacle Tower at 240 Main Street, that he would build the units on any other site the city would suggest in the downtown. He was oppposed to building the 42 units into his condominiums, since they would have to sell for $250 a square foot, and it costs him $400 a square foot to build the apartments.

 Mr. Cappelli closed urging the council simply to tell him where they wanted him to build the units. Mr. Cappelli said that he hoped he would not have to build the affordable units simultaneously with his 221 Main Project, since the Council has not agreed on exactly where Mr. Cappelli should locate the affordable units.

Mark Weingarten, Mr. Cappelli's attorney, said that though the ordinance does not compel Mr. Compelli to building the affordable housing units, that the affordable housing commitment could be spelled out in the site plan amendment language to be determined by city corporation counsel.

William Null, representing the developer, Martin Ginsburg, said his client who proposes to build The Pinnacle Tower was opposed to Mr. Cappelli building the affordable housing units at 240 Main Street right adjacent to the Ginsburg Pinnacle project.

Louis Cappelli is Open to Suggestion on sites to build his 42 Units of Affordable Housing. Photo Capture from WPGA-TV, White Plains Government Access Television by WPCNR News.

Mr. Cappelli said was making his offer to build affordable housing elsewhere because of Common Council objection to his building the 42 units at 240 Main Street. (Councilman Tom Roach said "it was already a tight corner there."):

"I want to say that should there be alternative sites within the city for affordable housing that could be put up in context of us getting our approval andeither Mr. Ginsburg's company in conjunction with us, Mr. Ginsburg's company by himself, or ourselves if there is an alternative site that turns out to be a site that's acceptable to the council, we're o.k. with that. We just assumed our approval was predicated on affordable housing being done at the same time as our project, so I want to bring that up because part of that presentation of the public hearing tonight will be whether or not the affordable housing at 240 Main Street is tied into this and it's certainly not."

Dan Seidel addressed the hearing cautioning the council that an economic study of the project should be done because by taking away 200,000 square feet of office space, the city loses $2.5 Million in revenues. "You're giving away the city," Seidel warned the council, saying there was no zoning any more because everything is a variance.  Cappelli retook the microphone and disputed this saying there was still going to be 100,000 square feet of office space.

The hearing on 221 Main Street, both the ordinance and the 221 Main Site Plan Amendment was adjourned to April 4.