De Blasio Defends Decision To Rename Building After Dinkins
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio shrugged off critics who say Manhattan's Municipal Building should not be renamed for former Mayor David Dinkins.
De Blasio announced Friday the 40-story building at 1 Centre St., just a block from City Hall, will be named in honor of Dinkins, the city's first black mayor.
Opponents, however, cite a high murder rate during Dinkins' one term as well as a controversial eight-month boycott of a Korean-American grocery store and a three-day riot in Crown Heights.
De Blasio, who worked in the Dinkins administration, claims Dinkins began the effort toward a safer city.
"Because he achieved the legislation in Albany that got us to the number of police officers and the other changes we needed, including the youth programs that were so foundational to the changes in the city," de Blasio told WCBS 880's Rich Lamb. "We're honoring someone who did a lot for the city."
Dinkins, who turns 88 this month, was elected in 1989. He worked at the Municipal Building for many years as city clerk and Manhattan borough president, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
"I was the city clerk for 10 years from '75 to '85, and city clerk runs the Marriage License Bureau. One of my favorite things to do is perform marriage ceremonies," Dinkins said.
With his typical modesty and humor, Dinkins told Papa, "I'm delighted to have a lamppost named after me."
The building will be formally renamed the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at a ceremony on Oct. 15.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
