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Failed Push to Name Street for Inwood Bakery Owner 'Difficult to Accept'

By Carolina Pichardo | February 10, 2016 4:05pm
 Renee Mancino owned Carrot Top Pastries in Inwood.
Renee Mancino owned Carrot Top Pastries in Inwood.
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DNAinfo/Yapoka Yeebo

INWOOD — Proponents of a push to name a street after the owner of a popular Inwood bakery are urging the City Council to approve their request after garnering broad local support for the honor. 

Supporters want to co-name West 214th Street and Broadway "Renee Marcino Way," after the Carrot Top Pastries owner, 66, who was found dead in her shop of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said. 

Community Board 12 near-unanimously approved a resolution backing the street naming last year that included hundreds of signatures in support.

Martin Collins — a coordinator for the Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation, who spearheaded the  co-naming campaign last year — said members of Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's staff asked local Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez's office to present more evidence and "letters from the community" linking Mancino to the neighborhood. 

The street where the co-naming would occur is located in front of her first storefront at 5025 Broadway. 

Collins said the council received more than 84 pages of testimony, which included comments and remarks from residents, nearly 1,200 signatures and a detailed biography of Mancino. This was the same document Collins said he presented to CB12 on Oct. 27, when they approved the request with a vote of 32 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 abstention.  

"I haven't processed it," Collins said of the response from the council. "It's difficult to accept."

The council approved 42 streets co-naming around the city last week, including Freddy Beras-Goico Way on 175th Street between Broadway and Wadsworth Avenue, and Sidney Offerman Way at the corner of Nagle Avenue and Ellwood Street.

Rodriguez said he submitted legislation to name the street after Mancino over the past three co-naming cycles, but that hers was not approved "through the vetting process."

"I will continue to stand behind a street co-naming for Rene Mancino and will push for this to be included in the next round," he added.

Collins described Mancino as a “vital part of the community” Uptown.

“Her involvement with the senior centers in the community, Inwood Community Services, Inwood Little League, where she sponsored teams since she opened the restaurant,” Collins said.

“I think if you look at the totality of her accomplishments,” he added, “it’s worthy of this honor.”

Collins said he's urging local business owners and community leaders to write to the council, noting that dozens already have.

"Take the time to pen an email or letter to the City Councilmembers," Collins said. "I would like to be done in the next go-round."