COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 19, 2007: Councilmembers Benjamin Boykin and Dennis Power turned a cold shoulder to Super Developer Louis Cappelli's e-mail circulated offer to Council President Rita Malmud last week. Cappelli offered to keep everybody's favorite diner, The Corner Nook in business and find them a new location, if the council would extend his deadline to provide affordable housing units at the Nook site, which he needs to build and finish to open the second tower of his Ritz-Carlton Westchester complex

Will the Council put The Nook First? Cappelli's Extension Plea to Keep the Nook in business needs 4 Councilpersons for approva.

Cappelli has pointed out that the only reason The Nook must go is because he has to demolish it starting November 1  to build the Affordable Housing he owes by August 8, 2008 to open his second residential/office tower. Cappelli is planning on moving his Valhalla headquarters to that tower.

In discussing Mr. Boykin's new philosophy of White Plains having "the right development at the right time," WPCNR queried Boykin as to whether the Council would consider Louis Cappelli’s request for an extension of the time Cappelli had to complete his affordable housing of 41 units at 240 Main Street, so Mr. Cappelli could keep The Corner Nook in business and find the sentimental diner a new place in White Plains.

Boykin hedged, saying, “We are looking forward to the affordable housing that is owed to us by the owner of 221.”

WPCNR gently suggested that Cappelli had made an offer through an e-mail to Rita Malmud, and would the Council consider the extension to Cappelli to save the Dimitrakakis’ family’s livelihood. Boykin was steadfast, “I’ve seen the e-mail, I’ll have no response to that other than to say the developer owes us 41 units of housing and we look forward to getting that getting the housing in the very near future.”

WPCNR persisted for an answer, “So you don’t know whether you’ll entertain it or not?”

Boykin repeated “We look forward to getting the housing in the very near future.”

“That’s a no? ” I asked striving for clarification.

“He owes us 41 units of housing, there’s been no change to that,” Boykin said.

 CNR politely noted there was an offer on the table, "Whether or not you extend him (Cappelli) or not, that's his offer.”

Boykin said, “We do not entertain anything (meaning Cappelli's offer) unless it comes through the legislative process.”

I asked what Mr. Cappelli has to do.

“Does he (Mr. Cappelli) have to file an amendment , legislation or something (before you’ll -- the council will consider it)?”

Boykin: “That’s part of what the process would be.”

WPCNR followed up, “So you expect a formal declaration from his…?”

Boykin thundered, “I will not entertain any extension of Cappelli. We’re looking for the 41 units of housing, period. End of story.”

4 for  the Nook

Now that Councilman Arnold Bernstein is a lame duck Councilman until December 31 the Mayor, Bernstein and Councilman Glen Hockley could conceivably vote the extension, and it would take either Ms. Malmud, Mr. Boykin, Mr. Roach or Mr. Power to be the compassionate swingman to keep The Nook in business, without a break while Cappelli, as he said he would, worked with the Nook to find him another place.