Developer Louis Cappelli was on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new public playground in New Rochelle. The Cappelli Organization built the playground in front of the municipal parking garage at 51 LeCount Place through the city’s Community Benefit Bonus (CBB) program, which allows developers to provide public amenities in exchange for additional project density.
“This project is a prime example of how our Community Benefit Bonus program is helping to shape a vibrant and family-friendly downtown,” said New Rochelle’s Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert. “Thanks to our collaboration with Cappelli Development, we are creating more inviting public spaces that serve residents of all ages.”
Cappelli has been active in New Rochelle development for many years, with projects including: Encore, a 29-story apartment building at 325 Huguenot St., with 241 units; 3Thirty3 at 333 Huguenot St., a 28-story 285-unit building; One Clinton Park, a 28-story building at 55 Clinton Place with 352 apartments and 12,000 square feet of retail space, Trump Plaza, a 40-story building that opened in 2007 and New Roc City, a one-million-square-feet development that opened in 1999 with movie theaters and other features that reinvigorated the city’s downtown area.
“We’re proud to partner with the City of New Rochelle to bring this thoughtfully designed playground to the community,” Cappelli said. “It’s a meaningful addition to the city’s ongoing transformation and a place where families can gather for years to come.”
The CBB program allows developers to obtain extra height beyond what’s allowed by zoning in their projects in exchange for providing community benefits. The benefits can be in-kind contributions such as the playground, which was created through a CBB partnership involving the city and Cappelli. As an alternative, developers can pay a fee into the Community Benefits Bonus Fund with the city using the money to help pay for various improvements that benefit the community.
The new playground is 2,000 square-feet and features equipment including slides, tunnels, and ladders. The city owns the facility and will operate and maintain it.
