WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. October 30, 2003, UPDATED WITH NIGHT FOTOS, 11:30 P.M. E.S.T.: Mayor Joseph Delfino and Louis Cappelli introduced Renaissance Plaza, the new "meeting and greeting" place in the center of downtown today, as the new fountain park, built in less than seven months by HRH Construction for the city lofted its delicate water plumes to the sky on a perfect autumn day. A crowd of 200 persons and dignataries gathered for the historic moment, and the fountain wowed the skeptics with discreet water plumes falling with precision, acoustically correct and pleasing American standards, and piping hot Starbucks coffee.

REFRESHING PLUMES OF WATER SHOOTING SKYWARD at the Renaissance Plaza Thursday morning in the lee of City Center. Several hundred spectators dig the scene. The Renaissance Plaza fountain will perform three times an hour lunchtimes and evenings. The sound system, consisting of 10 (not 4 as previously reported) speakers at a cost of $4,000 each, delivers rich, crisp sound that so inspired one observer, she simply had to dunk their head in the fountain.  Dunking is not permitted and fines will be imposed for persons attempting to enter the fountains. No floating of boats in the fountain is permitted. Folding chairs are about the fountain for casual observation. The Starbucks restaurant is scheduled to open within the first two weeks of December, according to a Starbucks spokesperson. Photo by WPCNR News

RENAISSANCE PLAZA BY NIGHT AT 7:15 P.M., creates a wonderland by night, as seen from across Main Street. Photo by WPCNR News

DANCING TO THE HARBOR LIGHTS, DOWNTOWNERS REVELLED at the novelty of the dancing waters at 9:30 P.M. Thursday evening, forming "conga lines" to the tune, Hot Hot Hot. Passersby of all ages and and types smiled, greeted each other and dug the waters. One young lady, said, "This is definitely worth the money. It is definitely cool." Photo by WPCNR News.

Everybody Gets Into the Act

A gathering of eagles all spoke briefly as Mayor Delfino introduced all who had helped build the Renaissance Plaza at a cost of $3.5 Million, $1.1 Million of which was donated by Louis Cappelli, its builder; $500,000 from Westchester County, and $1.9 Million from the White Plains Urban Renewal Agency. The Mayor emphasized, "not 1 penny came from White Plains property tax dollars."

AMERICA'S FAVORITE MAYOR, Joseph Delfino, Renaissance Plaza Ringmaster of Ceremonies hosted the festivities. Photo by WPCNR News

THE MAYOR AND THE MAN:  Mayor Delfino, (back to camera) introduces the "Super Developer," Louis Cappelli, who humbly stepped to the microphone and said, "These aren't projects, it's a privilege to contribute to the revitalization of White Plains, and to build a project that will stand the test of time." Photo by WPCNR News.

County Executive Andy Spano, said he was pleased to contribute to the project that would help build "a great solid economy downtown."

Paul Delay of the New York Public Land Trust, said he was proud to point to the city of White Plains "open space incubator" as a model for "helping open space spread, because it will give birth to future parks."

CUE THE FOUNTAIN: Louis Cappelli has just started the first Renaissance Plaza show with fog slowly coming out of the water jets. Photo by WPCNR News.

"COMING TO WHITE PLAINS:" It's showtime, and to the preluding strains of Neil Diamond's America floating on the autumn air out of speakers as mesmerizing as you will hear at any big time rock concert, the fountain comes to life with slowly gathering fog, then shooting its streams to the blue sky as the song gathered momentum. Photo by WPCNR News

Mayor Joseph Delfino in his remarks, prior to Mr. Cappelli cueing the first fountain water and music show, said the 3 fountain pools hold 48,000 gallons of recycled water. The fountains contain 75 jets that spout water to the height of 15 feet in the air, 24 jets that shoot water 25 feet aloft, and 3 "superjets" that propel and shape the water as high as 50 feet in the air. The fountain also has 13 Leaperjets that spout water from one pond to the other. It supplements its water artistry with a fog machine, 160 lights and 6 water pumps, all computer controlled and coordinated with a "state of the art" sound system.  It was manufactured and programmed by Crystal Fountains, creator of the famous fountain at Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

MEET ME AT THE FOUNTAIN: Benjamin Boykin, Common Council President coined the afternoon's key phrase, saying this was an "Extraordinary Day in the life of White Plains," and said it would not be long before everyone would be saying, "Meet Me at the Fountain." (Mr. Boykin was perhaps remembering famous lines of the fictional past: In the novel, This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald has his heroine tell his protagonist, "Meet Me at the Clock in Grand Central," and in the movie Mr. Lucky, Cary Grant tells Laraine Day, "Meet me at Plaza Fountain."). The Bar Building presides over the scene. Photo by WPCNR News.

RENAISSANCE PLAZA ON BREAK: The new fountain showcases freshly planted trees, flowers, and a green, underwhich is housed the computerized control center, waterworks and pumps that power the fountain. The Starbucks gazebo in the background is the Open Space Incubator which will house a Starbucks cafe within six weeks, WPCNR is told. The Starbucks will feature indoor and outdoor seating. It was built at a cost of $575,000 and was paid for by a federal grant of $90,000, a project allocationof $75,000, a state grant of $50,000, and a city floated bond of $360,000 that will  be financed out of the Starbucks lease. The "Open Space Incubator" is expected to raise $30,000 a year minimum for open space acquisition. Photo by WPCNR News.

RENAISSANCE FOUNTAIN SHOWCASES OVERSEEN BY THE BAR BUILDING: The fountain artistry consisting of "curley-q's," "mushrooms," "high streams," and "syncopated spoutings," choregraphed to music handchosen by a mysterious City Hall Program Director animated the posh, red South American granite plaza with an inviting refreshing new energy both uplifting and relaxing. Songs heard included Under the Boardwalk and a Sinatra tune. The sound of the speakers is clean, impeccable fidelity, fullbodied, bass and treble perfectly in harmony, played at a volume that is ingratiating, not overbearing, creating an uplifting ambience. The fountain has windsensors that gauge how high to shoot the water and in which direction to avoid sousing pondside spectators. The shows are automated. Photo by WPCNR News.

DREAMING THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM: Renaissance Plaza fountain gives its all on the final lyrics of To Dream the Impossible Dream, concluding its Thursday evening of shows at 9:30 Thursday evening. The Fountain will assume full automated operation Friday. Photo by WPCNR News