LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION paying tribute to the life and accomplishments of
Albert Capsouto, premier restaurateur and civic leader

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize those
individuals of preeminent character whose lives exemplified the highest
ideals of humanity and whose lifework and civic endeavor served to
enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great State of
New York; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto, pioneering restaurateur and civic leader,
died on January 19, 2010, at the age of 53; and
WHEREAS, Born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1956, Albert Capsouto was the young-
est of three brothers; the family, Sephardic Jews, moved to Lyon,
France, in 1957, fleeing the Suez War, and then continued on to New York
in 1961; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Stuyvesant High School at the top of
his class, Albert Capsouto enrolled at Yale University where he earned a
Bachelor's degree in architecture and engineering; and
WHEREAS, After completing college, Albert Capsouto returned to New
York and soon began working with his older brothers on the family's
longtime dream of opening their own restaurant; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto and his brothers arrived in Tribeca when the
neighborhood could still be called a frontier; they took a chance on the
old manufacturing district's future, building a restaurant in a high-
ceilinged landmark building near the Hudson River; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto used his newly acquired degrees to transform
the warehouse into a restaurant and Capsouto Freres, a French Bistro
located at 451 Washington Street, was opened for business in 1980; and
WHEREAS, Soon, Capsouto Freres was the center of Tribeca's fledgling
community, one of the only places Tribeca residents could walk to and
delight in conversation over a good meal; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto, who was 24 when the restaurant opened, ran
the front of the house, welcoming guests and often stopping by patrons'
tables to chat; and
WHEREAS, At the 25th anniversary of Capsouto Freres in 2005, Albert
Capsouto said he and his brothers drew inspiration for their menu from
meals shared with their late mother, Eve; and
WHEREAS, Despite his busy professional life, Albert Capsouto was an
exemplary leader and advocate who was called upon to contribute his time
and talents to countless endeavors on behalf of the Tribeca community
and always gave of himself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, As the neighborhood began to change, and residents and small
shops replaced the warehouses and wholesale stores, Albert Capsouto
joined Community Board 1 to help with the transition to a mixed-use
neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, A humble yet persistent force on community issues, Albert
Capsouto proudly served on the board for over 19 years; during his
tenure, he chaired the Tribeca Committee and his practical, patient
voice became influential on everything from liquor license applications
to the 1995 rezoning of Tribeca; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the rezoning of Tribeca, Albert Capsouto
fought for the completion of Hudson River Park and the landmarking of
swaths of Tribeca; and
WHEREAS, After 9/11, Albert Capsouto and his brothers kept their
restaurant open to serve rescue workers and to give people a place to
come together; at this time, he also increased his advocacy responsibil-
ities for small businesses, serving as Chairperson of the Lower Manhat-
tan Development Corporation's Restaurants, Retailers and Small Business

Advisory Council, and traveling to Washington, D.C., to fight for finan-
cial assistance; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto also helped many fellow entrepreneurs fill
out forms to obtain aid, and in 2003, in recognition of his tireless
efforts, he received a Phoenix Award for Small Business Economic Injury
Recovery from the U.S. Small Business Administration; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, Albert Capsouto was very active at New York
Downtown Hospital and was going to be named to its Board; and
WHEREAS, A beautiful light in the lives of many, Albert Capsouto was
the spirit and drive of Tribeca for many years; a mentor and friend, his
passionate concern for others motivated people for the good of the
community; Tribeca is a better place for having had him in its midst and
its residents will forever endeavor to follow in his footsteps; and
WHEREAS, Albert Capsouto is survived by his brothers, Jacques and
Sammy Capsouto, his sister-in-law, Kathy, and Sammy's three children, as
well as a loyal legion of friends and neighbors; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion, and comforted by a loving family, Albert Capsouto leaves
behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will
remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay
tribute to the life and accomplishments of Albert Capsouto, premier
restaurateur and civic leader; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Albert Capsouto.