White Plains Hospital Unveils 'Lobby Of The Future'

“Lobby of the Future” Debuts at White Plains Hospital

Walking through a hospital lobby is not usually a calming, sensory experience. But White Plains Hospital is out to change that, according to its executives, who unveiled its new “lobby of the future” at a press event yesterday. The lobby’s attractive, modern construction and design aims to send the message that patients, families, and visitors will receive technologically advanced care at White Plains Hospital. Its 25-foot-high glass walls, noise-quieting tiles, and plentiful artwork help to offset the stresses that often go along with a hospital visit. The lobby also hosts the Everyday Healthy Café—conceived by the Hospital in conjunction with Peter Herrero, the founder and president of the New York Hospitality Group—which offers hospital visitors locally sourced fruits and vegetables, organic choices, freshly squeezed vegetable juices, and wrap sandwiches. “As an organization dedicated to health, a hospital building must first be a calming, positive space that plays an active role in helping patients heal,” said White Plains Hospital President & CEO Susan Fox, who was joined by Board Chairman Laurence Smith, and Montefiore Health System President & CEO Steven Safyer, M.D. “This new facility was created with an architectural and interior design philosophy that started with a feeling of hospitality to provide a comfortable environment for patients and families.”

The new lobby is one of the first finished components of the Hospital’s capital improvement project, which will be completed this year. The Hospital will have a new, six-story patient tower, new operating rooms with the latest surgical equipment, 24 new private patient rooms and new labor and delivery suites. Furthermore, the Hospital will add a second cardiac catheterization lab for heart care and will double the size of its cancer center. “The lobby is not just an entrance to a new building, but the gateway to a new era for White Plains Hospital,” Ms. Fox explained. “This is a major step in the redesign of our campus to better serve our community, bringing in more advanced services and an even greater focus on providing our patients with an exceptional experience.”

WCA to Administer $9.8 Million Federal Workforce Grant

The Westchester County Association (WCA) has been selected by the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board to serve as project manager of a $9.8 million Federal Ready to Work Partnership grant to provide 425 long-term unemployed individuals with intensive training for jobs in the healthcare sector. Funds from the grant, which is allocated through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Ready to Work Partnership, will be used for outreach and recruitment to better connect workers with the kinds of organizations that are looking to hire; to provide training and support services to people who are unemployed but require retraining or jobs in high demand in health care; and to further develop strategies to increase the number of middle- and high-skilled job placement. This regional training program is led by Westchester County and serves to connect workers with open positions in seven counties in the Hudson Valley: Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, and Sullivan.

Two New Stores for The Westchester

The Westchester recently welcomed 3NY Boutique, a brand catering to New York City’s fashion gurus, to its line-up of stores. Located in a 2,383 square foot boutique in the Neiman Marcus wing on Retail Level Three, the opening marks the retailer’s first outpost in Westchester. “We are thrilled to welcome 3NY to the dynamic fashion-forward retail mix at The Westchester,” commented Paula Kelliher, area director of mall marketing for The Westchester. “Its unique philosophy on style and luxury apparel and accessories has been well-received by our shoppers, who always seek the latest on-trend looks for the season.” The new 3NY at The Westchester joins the company’s other two locations in New York City, one of which is in Soho. 

Also joining The Westchester in November/December is YOGASMOGA, creator of yoga-inspired athletic apparel. The company recently announced its plan to open in Westchester, which will be YOGASMOGA’s first permanent brick-and-mortar location in New York. These locations will open in November and December, 2015, in time for holiday shoppers to enjoy the brand’s superior product and authentic yoga ethos. The announcement is part of the company’s aggressive expansion plan: it expects to have opened 10 stores and more than 18,500 square feet of retail space in 2015. By the end of the year, YOGASMOGA will operate 12 stores in total.

R.J. Rose Realty Purchases Historic Yonkers Building

R.J. Rose Realty, a Yonkers, NY-based real estate company that specializes in rejuvenating historical buildings, has purchased another historical building in the Carpet Mills Arts District (CMAD) in Yonkers. The building, originally known as “The Worsted Building” (179 Saw Mill River Road), was recently purchased from the Manner Warehouse Inc. The building had been a part of Manner Warehouse, Inc. since the 1950s. “The Worsted Building” was the perfect fit for RJ Rose Realty’s portfolio due to its large size (208,000 square feet), seven floors, historic character and central location (only a mile away from major parkways).

The building currently only hosts four tenants and is ripe for expansion as a multi-use tenant building. R.J. Rose Realty has already begun renovating the building to become useable space for artists’ commercial lofts, a place for technology companies, or for a professional school. “‘The Worsted Building’ has history dating back to the early 1900s, and revitalizing this beautiful building will add even more character to the new Carpet Mills Arts District in Yonkers,” says Randolph Rose, President of R.J. Rose Realty. The space is ready for leasing as some of the floors are already built out as office space, but the space can be custom designed to fit a tenant’s needs. Each floor is approximately 29,160 square feet. The building is a solid concrete building with concrete walls and floors, multiple loading docks, two large freight elevators, and can accommodate 53-foot trucks.

HEINEKEN Partners with Craft Brewer Lagunitas

Heineken N.V. recently announced the acquisition of a 50 percent shareholding in the Lagunitas Brewing Company, the fifth largest craft brewer in the United States by volume. Lagunitas owns a stable of award-winning brands, including Lagunitas IPA, which is the largest India Pale Ale brand in the United States. Founded in California in 1993, Lagunitas maintains two world-class breweries in Petaluma, California, and Chicago, Illinois. A third brewery is currently under construction in Azusa, California. The transaction will provide Heineken, whose USA headquarters is located in White Plains, with the opportunity to build a strong foothold in the craft brewing category on a global scale. Lagunitas will continue to be led by Tony Magee, its founder and Executive Chairman, alongside the existing management team and the company will continue to operate as an independent entity. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to complete in the 4th quarter of 2015.

Travel to Havana With The Business Council

The Business Council of Westchester has announced an exclusive travel program to one of the world’s most intriguing new tourist destinations: Cuba. The six-day Havana Getaway tours, which start at $3,909 per person double occupancy, are being offered exclusively to BCW members and the public through Chamber Discoveries. The trip departs on February 9, 2016. Rates are based on departure from Miami. (Airfare to Miami is not included.) The BCW is hosting an information session at 5 pm on September 30 at its offices, 800 Westchester Avenue in Rye Brook, for anyone interesting in learning more. Highlights of the trip include a panoramic tour of Havana, architectural tour of Old Havana, American antique car ride, day trip to Pinar del Rio and visits to Arte Corte Community Project, Muraleando Community Project, San Jose Craft Market, Vinales Valley and a local tobacco farm. Accommodations are at the 4-star Memories Miramar Hotel in the heart of Havana. The tour includes four breakfasts, four lunches and two dinners. The program is organized under the people-to-people license from the U.S. Treasury Department.