‘Beastie Boys Square’ Might Soon Return for Street Co-Naming Consideration
Beastie Boys mural by Danielle Mastrion, July 2014
Hold it now…
It’s a campaign three years in the making, and a proverbial thorn in the side of Community Board 3. Nevertheless, the Beastie Boys Square proposal is back on the front burner.
99 Rivington Street – currently Wolfnights – was featured prominently on the cover of the second Beastie Boys LP, Paul’s Boutique. Beastie Boys Square aims to honor the band with signage in the intersection of Ludlow Street.
The one-man army behind this media-friendly co-naming is LeRoy McCarthy, who’s spearheaded similar efforts around the city (e.g. A Tribe Called Quest, Notorious BIG). You’ll recall his months-long pursuit in the beginning of 2014 netted international headlines alongside the ire of CB3, whose leadership under Susan Stetzer and then-Chair Gigi Li bungled the application. The proposal ultimately ended in a denial, yet not without dragging Li through the mud. (The withdrawn application was erroneously voted down at full board in February 2014, but reinstated and denied a month later).
Photo: Beastie Boys Square
Hit it…
McCarthy jumped back into the gauntlet on Tuesday night during the full board meeting to announce his optimism with the quasi-new leadership with Jamie Rogers as Chair.
“I am hopeful that positive developments now will advance the opportunity for Beastie Boys Square finally coming to fruition,” McCarthy tells us. “I have discussed this matter with the Chief of Staff for Council Member Chin, Mr. Paul Leonard, and Deputy Borough President Bonilla in Gale Brewer’s office, and both have been supportive. Hopefully all three parties can work together toward a resolution, and finally honor the Beastie Boys with a street co-naming.”
Even if CB3 decides to re-calendar consideration for Beastie Boys Square, it’ll likely meet a similar uphill battle. The last time around, members did not feel that the Beastie Boys met the co-naming criteria of (a) Fifteen years of community involvement or (b) An exceptional accomplishment worthy of highlighting.
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