Spinola: Koch's ‘Tenacity,' 'Wisdom' Paved the Way for NYC Revival

NEW YORK CITY-Three-term mayor Edward I. Koch, who died early Friday at age 88, served many roles during his long career in public service. One of those roles during his mayoral term was paving the way for the revitalization and redevelopment of a city that faced bankruptcy a few years before Koch took office.

“At a truly pivotal moment in New York City’s history, we had a choice to save the city or allow it to continue on a path that would have destroyed it,” Steven Spinola, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, says in a statement. “That we are still the greatest city on earth is a tribute to Ed Koch’s vision, tenacity and wisdom. None of what has been accomplished since would be possible if he hadn’t been mayor.”