Postal Service Prepared to Negotiate Sale of New Rochelle Facility but Has Not Heard from Embattled Developer in Months

The United States Post Office has confirmed to Talk of the Sound that there are no current discussions with Capelli Enterprises related to the sale of the downtown New Rochelle facility to Cappelli, a cornerstone of Cappelli’s LeCount Square Project.

“The facility services people have not heard from Capelli in some time,” said Postal Service spokesman Tom Gaynor. “They are waiting to hear back…it has been months since they last heard from Cappelli.”

Talk of the Sound inquired after reports that U.S. Postal Service Westchester District Manager Joseph Lubrano had commented the matter at a recent employee event at the U.S. Post Office in downtown New Rochelle. Employees have been concerned they will be relocated if a deal comes to pass and had asked about plans by Capelli Enterprises to develop on the site of the New Rochelle post office

In response to questions, Lubrano reassured employees, telling them there were no current plans to move them.

Under the terms of the MOU Extension passed in June by the New Rochelle City Council, Cappelli has agreed that absent an agreement in writing with respect to the United States Post Office property, the MOU will expire on December 31, 2010. A similar deadline that required exterior improvements to the building at 5 Anderson Street has not been met by a July 31st deadline but the City has ignored the deadline and continued to operate as if the MOU were still in force.

Gaynor confirmed that Lubrano was asked about recent news accounts of Cappelli’s financial situation but declined to elaborate on details of Lubrano’s response.