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In a first, Mamdani opens municipal building rooftop to public
The effort is part of the mayor’s push to make more public spaces available in the city.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 04, Feb 2026
- 13:26 EST
- 20
Zohran Mamdani / X (Zohran Mamdani)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the cupola atop the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building will open for the first time to free public tours this summer, offering panoramic views of the city from one of New York’s most prominent civic landmarks.
Beginning in June, visitors will be able to reserve guided tours through an online portal operated by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, with groups of six departing from the CityStore at the base of the building at 1 Centre Street. The opening is timed ahead of the World Cup this summer.
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City officials said access to the tower has been made possible by a $6 million improvement project that repaired the historic cupola, added protective glass barriers for safety, and renovated the rotunda landing to accommodate visitors.
Making the announcement on the second day of Black History Month, Mamdani linked the initiative to the legacy of David N. Dinkins, the city’s first Black mayor, after whom the building was renamed in 2015.
“From the tower of 1 Centre Street—also known as the David Dinkins Municipal Building—the ‘gorgeous mosaic’ that Mayor Dinkins spoke of reveals itself in its totality. As we celebrate Mayor Dinkins’ legacy, we’re making that unique view available to the people of New York City,” Mamdani said.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said the project would allow both residents and visitors to experience the building itself as a public space. “With these renovations and access, we will make a truly one-of-a-kind space available for the public to enjoy,” she said.
New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Yume Kitasei said the project expands public access to a landmark that has long functioned as a center of city government. “Upon its completion, this project will increase public access to an iconic landmark and create new ways to experience New York City and preserve our historical building's infrastructure for future generations,” Kitasei said.
City Comptroller Mark Levine said public access to observation spaces should not be limited by cost. “I’ve been calling for this since serving as a Council Member and then Borough President, because when we open our civic institutions, we not only live up to our welcoming identity, we create a new way for New Yorkers to know and enjoy their home,” he said.
Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams said the opening would allow New Yorkers to view the city in the way Dinkins once described it. “They’ll see the patchwork of peoples who have come together — as you circle this building and look out you’ll see neighborhoods built by so many backgrounds, woven together through time and community,” Williams said.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal referenced the building’s architectural legacy, noting it was designed by McKim, Mead & White and completed more than a century ago. “Opening its cupola affirms that our city’s most remarkable spaces should be affordable and welcoming to everyone,” he said.
The Municipal Building, constructed between 1909 and 1914 in the Beaux-Arts style, houses more than 2,000 employees, including the offices of the Comptroller, Public Advocate, and Manhattan Borough President, along with several city agencies. It was designated a New York City landmark in 1966 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
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