Historic 1914 NYC Building Marks Milestone Opening in Over Century

A long-closed space at the top of one of New York City's most prominent civic buildings has been opened to the public for the first time in more than a century as an observation deck offering sweeping views of the Big Apple.

The new observatory, known as Centre360, sits within the restored cupola of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street, near City Hall Park and the Manhattan entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Completed in 1914, the landmark structure is among the largest municipal office buildings in the world, housing more than 2,000 workers across nearly 1 million square feet of space. Following a $6 million restoration, the once-inaccessible cupola is now open to the public-delivering what officials describe as a rare perspective on the city.

The project reflects a broader movement to restore and repurpose historic buildings across New York City and the country.

Nearly half of America's 125 million buildings are at least 50 years old, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and adaptive reuse is accelerating. In 2024, about 25,000 apartments were created through building conversions nationwide-a roughly 50 percent increase year over year, according to RentCafe.

Preserving older structures is also tied to sustainability goals. The AIA says reusing existing buildings can avoid 50 to 75 percent of the carbon emissions associated with new construction, by reducing the "embodied carbon" released through manufacturing and transporting building materials.

Gordon Gill, the architect behind the world's tallest skyscraper, the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, told Newsweek earlier this month that "refreshing" existing buildings to be more efficient should take precedence over building new ones, especially given "the majority of embodied carbon that we’re seeing is primarily in the infrastructure and the structure of these buildings."

This environmental benefit, alongside cultural preservation, is helping drive renewed interest in projects like Centre360.

Opening a Century-Old Space

For New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei, the observatory's opening represents a long-awaited milestone. She said the idea had been discussed for years, but momentum came when New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed the plan, enabling the work needed to finally make the space accessible.

Kitasei described the observatory as a "really meaningful" addition to the city, emphasizing that it is free and open to anyone. She said providing public access to such a historic vantage point-overlooking a key area of Lower Manhattan-was a priority for both her agency and the mayor.

She noted that DCAS manages a portfolio of 56 buildings with an average age of about 90 years, making preservation work an ongoing challenge. At 1 Centre Street, she said visitors are immersed in historic detail from the moment they enter, and the restored cupola continues that experience rather than replacing it with a more modern aesthetic.

Preserving New York City's Aging Buildings

Kitasei said the observatory is part of a broader effort to maintain and modernize the city's aging building stock. While some upgrades are visible, much of the work-such as electrifying systems and improving energy efficiency-happens behind the scenes.

She acknowledged the challenges of maintaining older structures, noting that while they are rich in "charm and character," they require significant investment to remain functional and sustainable. The goal, she said, is to ensure city workplaces remain comfortable and modern while reducing emissions across the municipal portfolio.

At the same time, Kitasei said DCAS is exploring ways to expand public access to historic spaces within its buildings, suggesting that Centre360 may be part of a growing effort to open up previously unseen parts of New York City to the people who live there.

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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sirena Bergman and Anthony Murray.

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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 1:44 PM.