WPCNR MAIN STREET LINE. By John F. Bailey. October 8, 2003 UPDATED WITH PICTURES AND INTERVIEW 10: 15 A.M. E.D.T.: White Plains first Target opened to a guest list of shoppers Tuesday evening at 6 PM, with Mayor Joseph Delfino doing the honors and the Super Developer, Louis Cappelli proudly meeting the first of a wave of City Center “target” dates 5 days ahead of schedule.

BULLSEYE! City Center opened Target Tuesday evening to invited shoppers who browsed the aisles, made purchases in the spacious, inviting Target environment. Photo by WPCNR News.

CAPPELLI KEEPS HIS PROMISE: All gleaming and feeling good about itself, City Center debuted Tuesday night, with the City Center garage open for parking via Main Street, the plaza freshly panted with shrubery and trees and understated elegance. Photos by WPCNR News.

The City Center Garage on Martine Avenue has been turned over to the White Plains Parking Authority and 7 floors are open for parking to the public, according to Louis Cappelli. Entrance to the garage can be gained from Main Street traveling from the West, shown at the left, and turning right into the renamed already-elegant “City Plaza,” or via Martine Avenue motoring from the East. A stream of invited guests parked, strolled on in to a brightly lit, spic and span, and gleaming lobby and escalator entrance.

Enter Target from Street Level, by strolling in to City Plaza, strolling in the lobby and descending the fast-moving escalators. Photo by WPCNR News

Watch those escalators, though they are silent and lightning fast, and efficient just like everything Louis Cappelli touches. Steve Morton, chatting with this reporter, said City Center workers were toiling up until 1 in the morning over last weekend getting the City Plaza and the lobbies ready.

Target according to two newly employed store clerks is open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Saturday, and from 8 AM to 9 PM on Sunday. Regarding the Target personnel, Benjamin Boykin, Common Council President singled out one young man as a new employee of Target, who lives in White Plains, “This is what it’s all about. It’s about jobs.”

The Target store is huge, taking up the entire below street level floor of the City Center with quality merchandise we are told by a shopper for less. Our impression was you needed more signs for direction since the store is square in layout, but this is a minor quibble. Target gives you more aisle space than the K-Mart over on Route 119 and is a pleasant stroll. There is a Pizza Hut outlet at the entrance to refresh you after the long trek through the aisles.

THE SUPER DEVELOPER & CREW COME THROUGH UNDER PRESSURE: Louis Cappelli in a quiet reflective moment at the Target Store opening. Cappelli said Circuit City, one floor up from Target would be open for business Thursday of this week. He noted that the Performing Arts Center on the Fourth floor would be opening November 8, followed by the National Amusements movies in mid-November, as City Center ramps up. Photo by WPCNR News

In an impromptu interview, Louis Cappelli held court. He noted that his 221 Main Cappelli-Bland Hotel project which continued public hearings Tuesday evening would generate $5 Million a year in sales tax revenues to the city, and the hotel, $100 Million of lodgings and the city would get $8 million of that, comparing that "handle" to the Bar Building annual taxes to the city of $130,000. "It's up to the city what they want to do," he said.

When asked if he could save the Bar Building facade, gut the interior and preserve the architecture, Cappelli said, "yes, someone could do that," and generously allowed that it was an alternative.  

Cappelli wanted to talk about the City Center and 221 Main sewage impacts. He brought up the City Center and 221 Main contribution to the City's Main Street sewer line, telling WPCNR that Mike Divney of Divney, Tung, Schwalbe, had complete a new study of projected City Center and 221 Main effluent flows, which Cappelli said showed that "even after 221 goes online, the city sewer pipe would still be filled to 70% of capacity.

In another aside, Mr. Cappelli confirmed that he was getting married this Saturday in the Bahamas to Ms. Kylie Travis, the actress. 

THE GRAND LOBBY of CITY CENTER LAST NIGHT, ALL DRESSED UP:  At top of the picture is the Movie Floor, under construction. In center, is the third retail floor, not completed. Photo by WPCNR News.

A CLEAN, WELL-LIT NEW CITY PARKING FACILITY OPENS:  At left is how the new City Center Garage looked Tuesday evening as it received cars for the Target opening. At right, is what shoppers see as they stroll in from the parking level at the left. Photo by WPCNR News.