Acclaimed Actor Makes CB1 an Offer They Can Refuse
As actor Robert De Niro approaches his 80th birthday this August, admirers are proposing to co-name the intersection of Greenwich and Franklin Streets in his honor. Mr. De Niro, acclaimed for his work in films such as “The Godfather: Part II,” “Taxi Driver,” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” is also highly regarded for off-screen projects. Among these is his co-founding of the Tribeca Film Festival, which helped to revitalize the eponymous neighborhood in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The idea was first discussed publicly at the March 7 meeting of the Transportation Committee of Community Board 1 (CB1). Peter Downing, the Creative Director at Tribeca Enterprises (the umbrella company that operates the Tribeca Film Festival, as well as Mr. De Niro’s production company) acknowledged that CB1’s street co-naming categories include “individual,” “not for profit organization,” and “historic events and places.”
“You also have an ‘other’ category,” he said. “We’re approaching you with that category in mind, knowing that the criteria is that the applicants must present a strong argument that the proposed honoree have an extraordinary and highly acclaimed accomplishment, or involvement for the public good linked to both CB1 and the location proposed for the co-naming.”
Mr. Downing recounted, “on September 11, 2001, Robert De Niro looked left from his offices at 375 Greenwich Street and saw, as many of us did, a hole torn in the heart of the City and he took action by co-founding the Tribeca Film Festival.”
“More to the point,” Mr. Downing continued, “his qualification is as a true son of the City, who spent his formative childhood in Greenwich Village and Little Italy, and was an early investor in Tribeca business and community development. He helped to encourage economic redevelopment of the neighborhood with key investments at critical stages of this district’s urban renewal.”
CB1 members had strong and divergent views on the proposal. Eric Yu called Mr. De Niro “a New York icon,” adding, “I know it goes normally against the rules and requirements, but this is an extraordinary person who has brought a lot of positive attention back to New York.”
CB1 member Jess Coleman said, “we drew our guidelines just two months ago. We spent a long time debating, frankly, ad nauseam. With all due respect, I think granting this request would basically tear up all the work we did. To me, this isn’t really about Robert De Niro. It’s about our procedure and our process and a policy decision that we’ve made.”
CB1 member Mimi Flynn asked, “if not Robert De Niro, then who? Who fits these guidelines?”
CB1 chair Tammy Meltzer said, “I am concerned about renaming a street when we have said ‘no’ so often to so many who are so deserving. We’ve had people come to us who are not famous, but who were incredible public servants—working at homeless shelters—and we’ve said no.”
CB1 member Pat Moore had a more personal objection: “I live 100 feet away from what was the South Tower, and my home was destroyed” on September 11, 2001. “I was out of my home for two years. I respect Mr. De Niro and all of these businesses that have brought him money, but he did nothing to help the people who were most affected by September 11. I just don’t see why he needs to have a street named after him.”
Mrs. Meltzer suggested an amendment to the proposal, which could emphasize the specifics of Mr. De Niro’s local contributions. “You could say, ‘this is where the Tribeca Film Festival started.’ There’s a plaque on a wall of the Seaport District for slave markets. I think that fits that ‘other’ guideline.”
CB1 member Patrick Kennell asked Mr. Downing, “have you considered other ways to honor Mr. De Niro—like a plaque on a building or a park bench? I could even envision something you might see outside of Yankee stadium, like a nice, big statue that honors the man and his contribution to the community.”
Decisions about co-naming streets are ultimately made by the City Council. But, as a procedural matter, they come first before the local Community Board within which the street is located, so that the panel can issue an advisory opinion. The City Council ultimately overruled CB1’s controversial 2018 rejection of a proposed street co-naming in Tribeca to honor James D. McNaughton, who, on August 2, 2005, at age 27, became the first New York City police officer to be killed in action while serving in “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” The following year, the Council concurred with CB1’s approval of co-naming a stretch of Baxter Street (near NYPD headquarters) in honor of former Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward. In January of this year, CB1 endorsed a proposal to co-name a Lower Manhattan intersection in honor of Elizabeth Jennings Graham, an 1850s civil rights pioneer.
In the absence of any consensus about the Robert De Niro proposal, CB1’s Transportation Committee tabled the request for a street co-naming honoring the actor. Mr. Downing agreed to come back to the Committee with a revised proposal, incorporating some of the feedback discussed at the March meeting, but did not present at the April, May, or June meetings. Because CB1 does not meet in August, that leaves only July for the Board to consider this proposal before Mr. De Niro’s 80th birthday.