DCAS Officially Opens Centre 360 to the Public, the City’s New — and Only — Municipal Observation Deck
June 11, 2026
First official visitors for Centre 360 experience were DCAS neighbors, including students from Murry Bergtraum High School, residents from the nearby Alfred E. Smith Houses, and older adults from the Hamilton-Madison House.
Ceremony featured a dedication to David N. Dinkins, the Municipal Building’s namesake and the city’s first Black mayor.
Photos and video available HERE
Pictured above from left to right: DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei, older adults from the Hamilton-Madison House, students and staff from Murry Bergtraum High School, residents from the nearby Alfred E. Smith Houses, and Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson cutting the ribbon on the new Centre 360 experience.
NEW YORK – Today, DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei joined Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson, students and staff from Murry Bergtraum High School, residents from the nearby Alfred E. Smith Houses, and older adults from the Hamilton-Madison House to officially launch the new Centre 360 experience at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street. As a part of the opening ceremony, a dedication was made to the building’s namesake, David N. Dinkins, the city’s first Black mayor. After remarks and a ribbon cutting, students, Hamilton-Madison House and Alfred E. Smith residents were among the first to officially take in the views from the building’s cupola, some 500 feet above street-level, offering 360-degree views of Lower Manhattan and the rest of the city.
“Too many of this city’s extraordinary civic spaces have been closed off from the people they belong to,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “Centre 360 opens the doors of a building that has long served as the heart of City government to invite New Yorkers and visitors alike to enjoy unmatched views of all five boroughs.”
“We announced this project on a frigid morning my first day as DCAS commissioner, and now just four months later, we have successfully brought Centre 360 to life. And the view couldn't be brighter,” said DCAS Commissioner Kitasei. "Thanks to $6 million in restoration funds from Mayor Mamdani, we are opening an amazing view to the public and simultaneously setting the standard for what is possible for city government when agencies work together.”
“New York City is definitively the capital of the world, so it's only fitting that residents and visitors alike have a proper, one-of-a-kind vantage point to take it all in,” said New York City Comptroller Mark Levine. “The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building's cupola provides a bird's eye view of the countless diverse neighborhoods that make New York City a global hub. Just in time for the World Cup, the Knicks playing in the NBA Finals, America250 and so many other incredible events happening in and around the five boroughs this summer, the city is providing yet another way to honor our long history of welcoming the world here.”
Pictured above: Students from Murry Bergtraum High School, checking out the view.
Mayor Mamdani first announced the free panoramic experience in February 2026. Following a $6 million restoration project to repair the building’s historic cupola, install glass safety barriers, and restore the rotunda landing, the space is now ready to welcome residents and visitors for the first time. Centre 360 will transport groups of five visitors from CityStore at the base of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre St. to the cupola. More than 500 feet above street level, this experience offers panoramic views of Lower Manhattan and all five boroughs from one of New York City's most iconic civic landmarks.
Beginning today, DCAS will offer eight viewing sessions each day, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A maximum of five individuals are permitted per reservation. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and at least 42 inches tall.
Visitors must reserve tickets through the online reservation system and present a valid photo ID upon arrival. Reservations will open on the first day of each month. Walk-ins will not be accommodated. For more information or to make a reservation, visit the Centre 360 website.
“The opening of the cupola presents an exciting opportunity for New Yorkers to take in our cityscape and connect with its rich history,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “The David Dinkins Municipal Building has been home to over a century of public service, and is an iconic landmark that my office is lucky to call home. With guided tours beginning in time for the World Cup, people from all corners of the world will also be able to appreciate what David Dinkins described as our gorgeous mosaic. I thank the mayor and Commissioner Kitasei for inviting the public into this space, and I encourage everyone to come and enjoy the city from a new perspective.”
“The opening of Centre 360 atop the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building will revolutionize how Manhattanites see their city,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “It shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to take in the best skyline in the world, and I’m thrilled that New Yorkers can now reserve free tickets to visit the cupola. I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Kitasei for championing this project, and look forward to welcoming every Manhattanite to 1 Centre Street!”
Oiping Chen, a local Lower East Side resident who attended the grand opening, commented, “This is a big deal for us. I’ve lived here for 53 years; this is the first time I’ve been able to come here and see the view, see my neighborhood like this.”
Pictured above: Oiping Chen (middle, blue shirt) and neighbors from the Hamilton-Madison House, among the first to take the Centre 360 experience.
One of the largest government office buildings in the world, the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building houses more than 2,000 employees across a dozen City agencies. Designed by architectural firm McKim, Mead & White and constructed between 1909 and 1914, the building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Originally known as the Manhattan Municipal Building, it was renamed in 2015 in honor of David N. Dinkins, recognizing his decades of public service and the years he spent working in the building. David N. Dinkins, born in 1927 in Trenton, New Jersey, was elected in 1989 and inaugurated on January 1, 1990. He was New York City's 106th mayor, the first African American to hold the office, following a distinguished public service career that included roles as state assemblyman, president of the Board of Elections, city clerk, and Manhattan borough president.
In 2015, the Manhattan Municipal Building was renamed in his honor, and after leaving office, he continued shaping public policy as a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Mayor David N. Dinkins died at his home on November 23, 2020. Today, at Centre 360, atop the building named in his honor, his legacy of service, equity, and unity rises into full view.
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