History
Originally conceived in 1979 by the General Foods company as a symbol of the company's "aggressive consumer products packaging and marketing", it is known for its distinctive glass and white aluminum exterior, as well as its unusual layout of a grand staircase extending over the underground garage and a secret underground tunnel. Upon its opening in 1983, General Foods relocated its 2,000 headquarters staff from nearby White Plains. However, in 1985, General Food was acquired by Philip Morris, who proceeded to lay off most of the General Foods headquarters staff in 1987.
After a series of subsequent mergers and restructurings, Altria, the successor to Philip Morris sold off the facility in 2004 to the RPW Group headed by Robert Weisz, moving the remaining 1,000 employees to other facilities except for 6 essential employees who remain employed with RPW in Westchester County. At a cost of 40 million dollars, this was the largest real estate transaction in Westchester county in 2004 and did not include the 70 million dollar cost of renovating and subdividing the building.
Read more about this topic: 800 Westchester Avenue
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—Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
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—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)