Redevelopment Plans for Galleria Site in White Plains Unveiled
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The long-awaited redevelopment plans for the former Galleria shopping mall site in downtown White Plains were unveiled last week.
The estimated $2.5 billion open space, mixed-use residential and retail project, called The District Galleria, was jointly announced by Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP), The Cappelli Organization, SL Green Realty Corporation and Aareal Bank.
“As an urban renewal project that began more than 50 years ago, the reimagining of this property is integral to the transformation of Downtown White Plains, which began in earnest over 20 years ago with City Center,” said Louis Cappelli, Chief Executive Officer/Founder of The Cappelli Organization. “The District Galleria will go a long way in making our local community more enjoyable, desirable, sustainable, and resilient.”
The 870,000-square-foot Galleria, which opened in 1980, shut its doors in March. However, redevelopment plans apparently have been in the works for more than seven years.
While nothing has officially been filed with the city, The District Galleria is slated to feature seven residential towers of varied heights with up to 3,200 apartments, of which 384 would be designated as affordable, in accordance with the City of White Plains Affordable Rental Housing Regulations.
The buildings would combine state-of-the-art technology and building systems with amenity based/community needs for the residential units, including fitness, grocery, dining, professional and personal services. The District Galleria is being designed as a sustainable project, meeting the silver LEED standard of high-energy efficient building materials.
Nearly half of the project’s footprint is designated as open space, breaking down existing barriers and creating a quarter mile-long green promenade complete with pet playgrounds, pocket parks, and lush landscaping for community gatherings, outdoor events, public entertainment, and art. The District Galleria features a garden promenade designed to link the adjacent neighborhoods at eight different access points, providing a place for the public to shop, walk, play, and be entertained.
“Experience driven mixed-use environments appeal to people’s desire for connection and belonging. They are poised to be the key in reviving our communities’ urban centers,” said Najla Kayyem, Executive Vice President for PRCP. “The evolution of an enclosed mall to an open-air mixed-use development with the unified vision of The District Galleria is pivotal in evolving real estate for the next generation.”
Annmarie Plenge, Executive Vice President of Design for PRCP, is the Master Architectural Designer of the project. Plenge has more than 27 years of professional experience master planning large-scale mixed-use projects and is collaborating with world renowned architectural design and planning firm Gensler, along with Kimley Horn and Eric Rain Landscape Architecture to design the urban oasis.
The site is about 10 acres in what is called The Qualified Opportunity Zone, which also includes the two 43-story towers of The Ritz-Carlton across the street that has 374 condominiums, a hotel, 70,000 square feet of offices and a 900-car underground garage.
City officials have repeatedly said residents will have ample opportunity to weigh-in on the project during the planning process.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
