Beastie Boys Square Has Come to Fruition on the Lower East Side

This past week, City Council handily approved Beastie Boys Square, which now co-names the southwest corner of Ludlow and Rivington Streets. Helped by the support of Councilman Chris Marte, the vote carried without incident, and was approved as part of several other co-namings around the five Boroughs.

Beastie Boys Square is a campaign many years in the making. It is the brainchild of hip hop hype-man LeRoy McCarthy, who helped secure other name recognitions in 2019 – Christopher Wallace Way in Brooklyn and the Wu Tang Clan District in Staten Island. His endless pursuit to honor the singing rapping trio paid off, despite plenty of fierce community opposition at the outset.

The co-naming was, for years, a sore spot for Community Board 3, in particular, whose members argued that the Beastie Boys didn’t meet the standard criteria for the street honor – (a) 15 years of community involvement or (b) An exceptional accomplishment worthy of highlighting. And that the group had no real connection to this spot other than the ‘Paul’s Boutique’ album cover.

“Thanks to the local residents, businesses, and organizations who supported this endeavor over the years,” LeRoy told us in a victory statement. “It would not have gotten done without political support from MBP Mark Levine, Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, and especially Councilman Chris Marte. Much Gratitude.”