White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Wood, Habel say Mills Has to Come in and Talk. Plans very preliminary.

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. December 14, 2003: City officials blitzed by the blindside immaculate acquisition of The Galleria this week anticipated by the Mills Corporation emphasized that the mall plans revealed on the Mills Coporation website were described to them as preliminary and conceptual.

Both the city's economic development troubleshooter and its Commissioner of Planning said it was too early to have a reaction to the plans used to dazzle Wall Street analysts Tuesday. Reaction around the city though was upbeat.

Paul Wood, city Economic Development maestro, reiterated that Mills Corporation, the nationally prominent mall innovator, prospective new owners of The Galleria, told the city Wednesday the plans were purely conceptual, and that they would be coming in to talk extensively with the city in February, 2003, after they had closed on the property.

Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel told WPCNR Thursday she would withhold comment until she saw plans. She noted that based on what Mills Corporation was talking about, a theater on a new floor, that they already were proposing a piece that was out of compliance with zoning requirements for the property, but could not elaborate with no concrete plans. "They need to come in and talk to us," she said.

Jacob Burns Film Center South?

David Douglas, spokesperson for Mills Corporation, told reporters that Mills was not planning a megaplex, describing the theater to be built on a new 5th level at The Galleria as an art theater, in keeping with the upgrade promised by his Chairman Laurence Siegel in the Webcast annoucing the purchase of The Galleria on Tuesday.

Douglas promised independent films and foreign films that would compliment rather than compete with the City Center National Amusements attraction now going up at Main and Mamaroneck a block away.

Man from Mills Makes Overtures to the City.

Douglas, in comments, appeared sensitive to the city's being hurt over the way the project was sprung on them, noting that Mills Corporation fully recognizes and intends to dialogue with the city and the tenants they are inheriting at The Galleria.

A somewhat mollified Paul Wood said Thursday night, that Mills had apologized to the Mayor for the way the announcement had to be made due to confidentiality agreements with the seller, Cadillac Fairview.

Spotted at The Splendid.

The buzz at the Splendid Coffee Shop Friday held a lot of comment about the whirlwind Mills introduction to White Plains. White Plains Downtown Business Improvement District executives at a table next to WPCNR's were glowing in comments about what it said about the future of the city with a firm like Mills coming to town. The proprietor of the Splendid, Gus Manassas said it was amazing, and he was very pleased for what the Mills presence would mean for his business down the road.

At the Official Pizza Place of The CitizeNetReporter, Magnotta's over on Maple, "Mr. Pizza in White Plains," Angelo Magnotta raved about the Sawgrass Mills mall run by Mills Corporation in Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Magnotta is very familiar with the "Mills touch" and said they would make The Galleria sensational. "My wife loves that place," he said.


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