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"Beastie Boys Square" Sabotaged By LES Community Board
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 15, 2014
Modified Jan 15, 2014
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 15, 2014
Modified Jan 15, 2014
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The Lower East Side intersection made famous on the cover of The Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique will not be renamed after the band. Not yet, anyway. LeRoy McCarthy, who proposed the idea and has been working to make it happen, was told by Community Board 3 members at a meeting last night that he needs more signatures.
The discussion went on for about 90 minutes, with debate over whether or not the band met guidelines to support a co-naming—according to DNAInfo, "These guidelines include demonstrating at least 15 years of community involvement and support of residents directly surrounding the co-naming site." This morning, McCarthy told us that although he "surpassed the stipulations of getting over 75% of the signatures from residents and businesses on the block of Rivington Street, between Essex and Ludlow, The Community Board committee stated that additional signatures will be needed from residents that live on the intersecting streets of Rivington and Ludlow." At least a few of his supporters in that area were in attendance last night to speak up in front of the committee.
McCarthy won't stop, and his next step is "to get more signatures from residents of Ludlow Street, Rivington Street, and the Lower East Side, and resubmit the Beastie Boys Square co-naming petition to Community Board 3 for approval in February." He told us his "overall goal is to have NYC give recognition to Hip Hop. Hip Hop was founded in NYC in 1973, since that time where is the support, and respect for the art form and culture that has made billions of dollars for NYC, given exposure to NYC with pride, and enhanced race relations, among other positives. After forty years it would be great if NYC showed some appreciation."
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beastie boys
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beastie boys square
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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