Bruce Berg, Vice President of Cappelli Enterprises, confirmed today to WPCNR that the 10-story hotel structure built so far “confirms to (Ritz-Carlton) specifications” which Mr. Berg said require “certain minimum clearance” for a Ritz-Carlton lobby, ballroom, guest rooms and conference rooms. This is why the Council is being asked to approve an additional 8 feet in height, Mr. Cappelli said tonight that it was an additional 15 feet, being added to the podium.

 

New Ritz-Carlton Westchester Configuation from rendering supplied by Cappelli Enterprises. Photo, Courtesy Cappell Enterprises.

 

Berg said the overall increase requested from the Common Council amounts to 8 feet over the entire 40 stories. If the extra height is added to each floor this would be an extra  2.4 inches per floor raising the height of the condominium towers to 408 feet, as first stated by Mr. Berg. Cappelli said  last night the building will not exceed its present story height of 400 feet, plus the 96 feet of "mechanicals."

 

WPCNR has since learned that Mr. Berg and Mr. Cappelli were correct, that the Condominium tower residence area will rise to 408 feet, but the mechanical area will be reduced by 8 feet to not exceed the 496 foot height originally approved.

 

Cappelli noted that Ritz Carlton has requested a ballroom for 600 guests, a conference center, and two spas and rooms in the tower closest to Main Street. He will retain the same number of residential units for the condo towers, adding the restaurant on the mechanical level. The floor to ceiling heights of the condominium apartments will remain the same, he said.

 

 According to Mr. Berg earlier today, the additional inches have already been added to the hotel. More details are expected this evening as to where the inches are going in.

 

Nothing Illegal -- Building Commissioner Approved Podium Height Rise. Council Not Told at All at the time.

 

Mayor Joseph Delfino stated that the Building Department had approved the changes to the "podium" section of the hotel that has already added the 15 feet. Mr. Cappelli told WPCNR after the meeting that Mike Gismondi, the White Plains Commissioner of Building, had approved his increase in height for the podium (hotel portion of the complex) about three months ago (he could not remember exactly when).

 

 

The Common Council was told at the meeting that the change in the podium height was due to reinforcing requirements for earthquakes.

 

 Afterwards, speaking to the CitizeNetReporter, Mr. Cappelli said earthquake reinforcement was not the reason he went to the higher podium.  It was Mr. Cappelli's suggestion, he said,  to speed the process of construction and reinforce his tower. He said the building was already being built to earthquake specifications.

 

During the Common Council meeting, the Council appeared stunned by the scope of the Ritz-Carlton specifications, especially Ms. Malmud, who said Mr. Cappelli had promised to deliver a restaurant and a hotel within 890,000 square feet, not 940,000 square feet, and was quite concerned about the additional 50,000 square feet.

 

No Inkling of The Ritz on Monday Night.

 

As first reported by WPCNR in an earlier edition of this report, no councilmember was informed of the Ritz-Carlton specification changes when first confronted with the legislation Monday evening on the height involving the mechanical (top deck) portion of the condominium tower, according to Councilman Arnold Bernstein, speaking to WPCNR after the long night.

 

It also became clear in Wednesday evening's meeting, that the Council was not informed of the changes  by the Mayor's office, at the time Mr. Cappelli was granted the changes in the podium portion of the project by Mr. Gismondi.  (Mr. Gismondi was not present for comment.)

 

Council Given Reason for Changes.

 

 When the Mayor interceded to assure the council that the Building Department had approved all the changes thus far, and the earthquake precautions cited as one of the reasons for the project changes, that the Building Department had approved,  the council had a tangible catharsis.

 

Councilpersons Tom Roach, Glen Hockley, Arnold Bernstein, and Benjamin Boykin then experienced a warming and positive attitude towards approving Mr. Cappelli's commitments to the Ritz-Carlton, each making positive statements, whereas previously they had been negative but with admiration for the Ritz-Carlton coup.

 

Making "Mechanicals" Useful Space.

 

The legislation and need for the increase in height and the “amenities” proposal for the 94 feet of “mechanicals atop the Cappelli Condominium was explained last night at the Planning Board as giving the Common Council the ability to approve such amenities for construction on the “mechanical” deck to “screen” the mechanical infrastructure of the condominium.

 

Mechanical Area (the White Box on top of the rendering of the first tower) would be allowed to be enhanced by amenities such as restaurants as part of the new legislation increasing the height of the Ritz-Carlton, Westchester. Rendering Courtesy, Cappelli Enterprises.

 

The legislation would also apply in the UR-4 and CB-4 (Not CB-3, as previously reported)  business districts which include The Pinnacle on Main Street that has 54 feet of mechanical space height above its 23 stories. This would allow The Pinnacle to perhaps place a restaurant or other amenity surrounding their mechanical space, should they choose to do so.

 

Should the Common Council pass the legislation, it would not increase the height of the Cappelli condominium tower to 408 feet, as previously indicated to WPCNR by Mr. Berg's information. The residences would top out at 400 feet,  plus the 96 feet for the mechanical deck creating a tower that at its peak would be 496 feet, yet still 40 stories, with 10 stories for the hotel. Units would not change.

 

Councilmember first hears of height request change last week.

 

Councilman Tom Roach said he first learned of the request for height (regarding the mechanical portion of the building) about one week ago through a phone call, but said he could not speak for other members of the Common Council. The matter of the increased height per hotel floor was first brought up in public on Monday evening as one of only two items on the agenda. Other councilmen WPCNR tried to reach to see if the council had any knowledge of the height change and “Amenity Deck” legislation prior to last week could not be reached, we continue to try and reach them.

 

Mr. Cappelli in his building the City Center, often changed the configurations for the his site plan but sought site approval for the changes first and did not proceed without council permission, with the exception of his installing plastic pipe first in anticipation of city approval of that plastic pipe option.

 

More Details on the Deal.

 

Mr. Berg confirmed to WPCNR today that Ritz-Carlton will manage the hotel for the Cappelli Enterprises, which retains ownership of the property. “They are our partner," he said, “our operating manager.”  Asked if Ritz-Carlton also contributed equity and owned a stake in the project as part of the deal, Mr. Berg said “They are our operating manager. In essence they do (have an equity stake).”

 

The deal is for 30 years. Asked if the deal would have built in time periods when the fees would be renegotiated, Berg said he declined to comment any more on the details.

 

Vivian Deuschl, Vice President of Public Relations for Ritz-Carlton, speaking to WPCNR, said Ritz-Carlton was being paid to manage the hotel and condominiums only, and did not have “an equity stake” in the project.