Louis Cappelli of Ritz Carlton Fame takes White Plains to Court Over a Granite Slab – While Affordable Housing is STILL Not Cost-Effective

Why do I have this slab of granite featured in my blog? It’s just a slab of granite…..Why all the fuss…?

It’s a loooooong story. But I’ll give you the short version.

As you can see, the slab of granite has “The Ritz Carlton” engraved on it – and as such, the slab is there because Mr. Cappelli (who built the Ritz Carlton) wants it there. In fact he put it there. But you can also see that said granite is located on a road median. Therein lies the problem. It is located on the median of a PUBLIC road.

This piece of granite has been the center of a controversy that has turned local public meetings at City Hall into City Brawl. The mayor wants to be able to sell the traffic island to Cappelli and indemnify the city against any liability the granite imposes. The council are concerned that this sets a precedent which is not good.

Not only did Cappelli refuse to take down the sign, he threatened to film any crew from the city that attempted to remove the sign and show the film to developers as a warning not to submit any building proposals in White Plains. Later he went to Westchester Supreme Court to prevent the city for removing the slab.

Comical as this may seem, there is a precedent to be concerned with. Once one business is allowed to put signage (without prior permission) into road medians – how many more would follow. Looking at the long highway median along Mamaroneck Ave.– it is quite possible that it would literally be overwhelmed by business signage. I’m sure the White Plains Beautification Foundation would be thrilled that all their hard work on the 2.5 mile stretch on the Mamaroneck Ave. and Bloomingdale Rd. highway medians could easily be littered with signage from local business who would probably develop a “me too” mentality.

Meanwhile, with all this time and energy being spent on the famous “sign” – there has been NO FURTHER PROGRESS for the affordable housing that Mr. Cappelli promised to build. Mr. Cappelli appears to have a very a misplaced sense of priorities. Way too much time expense and resources have been spent over a this slab of granite. The agreement was that the affordable housing was to be built BEFORE either tower opened. The city council graciously allowed the first tower to open, but given their stand on the granite slab, they are probably in no mood to let the second tower open until the affordable housing is complete. I will say again what I said before: Mr. Cappelli, quit your whining about signs, and all the other insults you feel the city council and the people of White Plains have heaped upon you, and BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING!!! The clock is ticking on the second tower of the Ritz Carlton. It is supposed to open in August. Tick-tock, tick-tock.

How would this Look if it was littered with signs????

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