Work

Challenge

While the development team had a bold vision, they faced the challenge of ensuring that residents, businesses, civic leaders, and community organizations understood the project’s long-term benefits and supported its advancement through various public review stages, including Planning Board and Common Council approvals.

Approach

T&B led a targeted community advocacy and public outreach campaign aimed at:

• Building awareness about the project’s economic, cultural, housing, and public space benefits.
• Engaging a broad cross-section of stakeholders to encourage supportive public testimony and official endorsements.

Stakeholder Engagement Included:

• Presentations to major business and economic organizations such as the Business Council of Westchester, Westchester County Association, Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, and BOMA.
• Meetings with local civic and neighborhood groups including the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations, White Plains Business Improvement District, Rotary Club, and Library Foundation.
• Outreach to arts, culture, and beautification advocates, including ArtsWestchester and the White Plains Beautification Foundation.
• Engagement with healthcare stakeholders such as White Plains Hospital, located just steps from the project site.

In each session, we not only presented the project vision but invited feedback, answered community questions, and encouraged participants to join us in showing their support as the project advanced through public meetings and hearings.

Results

The advocacy campaign generated:

• Overwhelmingly positive public response from community groups, civic leaders, and business organizations.
• Multiple formal letters of support submitted to the City’s Planning Board and Common Council.
• Media coverage and social media engagement that helped build public awareness of the project’s benefits.
• A diverse coalition of advocates prepared to speak at public meetings, reinforcing that the project meets community and economic priorities.

The Path Forward

With broad community support in place, District Galleria continues to advance through the City of White Plains’ approval process. This collaborative approach to community engagement has positioned the project as a transformative step forward for Downtown White Plains—turning a closed mall into a thriving, connected district that will serve residents, businesses, and visitors for decades to come.