Fall, 2006

Cappelli Enterprises "Tops Off" The Ritz-Carlton
Oct 3, 2006 marked the "topping off" of the Ritz- Carlton. A "topping off" marks the safe completion of the skelton of a building. VIPS and visitors alike enjoyed music by Bob Dylan, Cheorgraphy by Twyla Tharp, in a show called The Times..They Are Achangin. The celebration continued with confetti, ballons launched, and the unfurling of our national flag.

And in the recent past...

Cappelli Enterprises took another major step toward construction of its newest White Plains project -- Renaissance Square. The $400 million project in the heart of the city’s downtown will combine a five-star hotel, condo-hotel suites, luxury residences, office space and street-level retail space in two glass-enclosed towers.

Construction of the 890,000-square-foot project is proceeding with the demolition of the Annex portion of the Bar Building at 199 Main Street. Demolition will be followed immediately by the start of the large-scale excavation that will be necessary to construct the underground structured parking for 1,000 cars.

Renaissance Square will add 650,000 square feet of luxury residential space.

The addition of a five-star hotel is a critically important component in the overall revitalization of the downtown. To date, Cappelli has created an investment value of one billion dollars in downtown.

The hotel will utilize the first eight floors of the first tower. This tower will also feature 200 luxury residences from the ninth to the 40th floor. Residents will enter their homes through their own lobby apart from the hotel’s and have access to most of the hotel’s services.

Pedestrian access to the hotel at Renaissance Square will be provided from Main Street and vehicular access from the new four-lane Court Street extension, where an elaborate entry drive will be created. Cappelli will construct the extension of Court Street from Main Street to Hamilton Avenue. This “missing link” in the city’s downtown street network has been a goal of city planners for more than 40 years and will not only ease access to Renaissance Square, but will improve traffic flow throughout the downtown.

In addition to the hotel and residences in the first tower, Renaissance Square’s second tower will include approximately 200 residences above 115,000 square feet of office space. Nearly 11,000 square feet of street-level retail/restaurant space will synergistically link the project with the surrounding downtown area. The four-level 1,000-space parking garage will be beneath the project.

An aesthetic focal point of Renaissance Square will be a beautifully landscaped plaza with a waterfall adjacent to Grace Church. The design and the open space created outside will contribute to the vibrant ambiance set by the popular Renaissance Plaza Fountain, on Main Street. Grace Church, built in the mid-1800s, will continue to gain prominence as a result of the spacious outdoor plaza next to Renaissance Square.

Renaissance Square will be built in two phases. The first will involve all of the parking facilities and the hotel/residential tower on Main Street to be followed by the tower nearer to Hamilton Avenue. The first occupants are expected to move in by early 2007.

City Center, which occupies a square city block bounded by Mamaroneck Avenue/Main Street/South Broadway/Martine Avenue. Completed and open are 600,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space and One City Place, a 35-story tower featuring 311 luxury rental apartments. Construction is well underway on the remaining elements of the project, the 35-story Trump Tower at City Center and The Lofts at City Center. City Center also includes a municipal parking structure.

Trump Tower is the first high-rise luxury condominium in Westchester County and features 211 luxury residences. Trump Tower is the tallest building between Manhattan and Albany and offers commanding views of the Manhattan skyline and Long Island Sound. Cappelli’s adjacent 11-story Lofts building features 29 high-ceilinged Soho-style condominiums. Nearly 85% of these residences are under contract with occupancy scheduled to begin in the fall.

2003...

The Renaissance Plaza fountain (Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue) opened Oct. 30 to a very jubilant audience. The new design plan, from Sasaki Associates, is a masterful design that includes: five water pools, a dancing fountain, colored lighting, accompanying music, flowered areas and chairs to enjoy the performances. The fountain brightens an area that was uninviting. This active public space is already being used by White Plains' families and work force alike. Look for them this springtime and the noonday concerts. (See Calendar of Downtown Events for schedule.)

Another exciting project in the heart of downtown is the White Plains Performing Arts Center at the City Center. Local performing arts groups have the opportunity to use the theater for theatrical, dance, and music productions. Broadway performers entertained a packed house with a Salute to White Plains, while Valerie Harper's one-woman performance as Pearl S. Buck in Under The Banner of Heaven drew a standing ovation. Bravo to all! (See Calendar of Downtown Events for schedule.)

Downtown’s Facelift

The downtown streetscape upgrade is complete and it looks great. The new sidewalks and planting areas complement the street furniture that was placed downtown last year. Merchants and shoppers are well pleased with the result of last summer’s construction. Visibility to the stores is improved with the lower planting areas. The drop offs located throughout the downtown make for a more shopper friendly area. The 15 minute parking allows customers to run quick errands without having to find a longer term spot. Safety has been improved with the stamped concrete brick banding that replaced the bricks which had loosened over the years and became a tripping hazard. The flowers look beautiful in the hanging baskets and flower pots within the planting area. Downtown White Plains is looking better than ever!

Fall, 2002:
The City of White Plains Gives Downtown a Facelift

The City of White Plains is investing more than $2 million in the Mamaroneck Avenue in fulfillment of another goal outlined in Mayor Delfino's "Phase II: The Next Step Toward Revitalization" plan. The investment symbolizes the City's confidence in the regeneration of downtown. The downtown will be as shiny and new as many of the development projects currently under construction.

The construction began in early August and will continue until November 30. All sidewalks will be replaced between Main and Maple. The project is scheduled for completion prior to the holiday shopping season.



For Other Current Downtown Projects please visit http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/ news/projects/dwntwnmap.htm