New Rochelle’s new upscale address

Trump Plaza, the latest and largest building to dominate the previously nonexistent New Rochelle skyline, officially opened for business this month.

The ubiquitous developer for whom the tower is named was on hand for a grand opening celebration Oct. 2 with his partner in the project, Louis Cappelli, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and other officials.

“We”™re celebrating the grand opening of Trump Plaza, but in a larger and more meaningful sense we are celebrating the continued resurrection of the city,” said Bramson.

Bramson said high-end luxury condo projects like Trump Plaza, and nearby buildings by Avalon Bay, have brought in street-level retail shops, residents and a “culture” to the city”™s downtown.

Bramson credited his predecessor, former mayor and current Westchester County Clerk Timothy Idoni for spearheading the city”™s renaissance during his 14 years in office.

Idoni recalled how New Rochelle made a long-shot bid to be the new headquarters for UNICEF in 1992 and almost won, finishing second out of 75 potential locations, narrowly losing to New York City.

That effort landed New Rochelle a cover of The New York Times and garnered the attention of developers like Trump.

“We went out to get publicity,” said Idoni. “We almost got UNICEF ”¦ and that laid the groundwork.”

Cappelli also recalled when he built the entertainment and dining complex, New Roc City, in the city”™s downtown 10 years ago, when not much else was attracting people to New Rochelle”™s city center.

“Looking at it 10 years later, it”™s great what has happened,” he said. “For almost a decade, my company has been investing in this great city, and today New Rochelle continues moving forward.”

Cappelli”™s next project in the city is LeCount Square, a mixed-use project that will be built opposite Trump Plaza starting next year.

Trump also praised the city”™s efforts, and said Cappelli had great vision as a builder by coming to New Rochelle.

Trump recalled mentioning to Cappelli about how a unit in one of his towers in Manhattan sold for $36 million and the two discussing the possibility of getting that kind of figure in New Rochelle.

“I said, someday we will,” Trump said.

After the ceremony, County Executive Andy Spano said the building was the latest sign in the county”™s efforts to revitalize its cities”™ downtowns and get people living there again.

“Our quality of life is our biggest asset in Westchester County,” Spano said. “That”™s why people come here.”

Trump Plaza features 194 one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences, priced from the mid- $500,000”™s to $1.7 million. Seventy percent of the units are already sold, according to a press release.