CB1 Approves Co-Naming First Place After Philanthropist

By Ronald Drenger

Community Board 1 voted last month to support a bid by the Museum of Jewish Heritage to co-name First Place in Battery Park City, where the museum is located, as Edmond J. Safra Place.

The museum wants to honor Safra for his philanthropy. The founder of Republic National Bank (now HSBC Bank) who died in a fire in his Monte Carlo home several years ago, Safra is the single largest donor to the museum and donated an average of $7 million a year to United States groups in the five years before his death, according to museum representatives. Substantial sums went to New York City organizations, including the New York Public Library and numerous arts, educational and medical institutions, and his foundation continues to make donations.

"Naming this street after someone who has given so much, not only to our institution but to the city, would be extremely appropriate," David Marwell, the museum’s director, said recently.

A couple of members of CB1’s Battery Park City Committee, which considered the museum’s proposal before it reached the full board, had initially expressed reservations about the co-naming.

"I have a problem naming a street after a philanthropist," Jeff Galloway said at the committee’s May meeting. "It comes off as buying a street. The street belongs to the public." Naming a street after a national leader or war hero seemed more appropriate, he said.

"Not everybody is a public leader or participates in a war," responded Marti Cohen-Wolf, a CB1 public member. "People contribute in all sorts of ways."

"I don’t see what the big deal is," said board member Maria Smith. "Safra worked his way up from nothing, and that’s always admirable. This man should be recognized."

The committee ultimately voted 5-0, with one abstention, at its June 4 meeting to support the museum’s bid, and the full board approved the proposal 20-7, with three abstentions, on June 18.
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At that meeting, board member Bernard D’Orazio said he was opposing the move out of principle.

"I have nothing against Mr. Safra, but we should not be in the business of co-naming streets," D’Orazio said. "I’d rather see the museum, which benefited from his philanthropy, name a wing after him, rather than a public street. Co-naming a street is a loaded thing to do. Then you have to get in to the details of the person’s life—is he worthy or isn’t he worthy?"

The museum plans to name its theater Edmond J. Safra Hall, but wants to co-name the street as well, according to Marwell.

The street co-naming must still be approved by the city.