Isaiah Bing was an active community leader and environmental advocate who was an expert in subsurface infrastructure and waterfront remediation. He served as an environmental adviser to elected officials, First Vice Chair of CB12, a member of the Land Use Committee of CB12 and former Co-Chair of the Health and Environmental Committee of CB12. He testified before the New York State Environmental Conservation Committee regarding pollution from the North River Sewage Treatment Plant and continued to alert political leadership to environmental health hazards in Northern Manhattan throughout his career.  

He was a co-founder and president of both the Barack Obama Democratic Club and the Uptown Community Democratic Club which were multi-ethnic forces for progressive politics in uptown neighborhoods.  He was also a member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Community Leadership Council and Conservancy North, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that public spaces in Northern Manhattan are guided by the needs of the community and planned comprehensively to improve quality of place. 

"Isaiah Bing was a remarkable community leader in Washington Heights and in New York City. He worked to improve his community through his environmental advocacy work using his expertise to safeguard Northern Manhattan and surrounding areas. He lived his life based on helping others and improving his city and was a neighbor to all New Yorkers. Now, his legacy will continue where he dedicated his life in service, on the corner of West 169th St. and St. Nicholas Avenue," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.

"It is an honor to be here today to celebrate the life of a treasure of Washington Heights, Isaiah "Obie" Bing. Obie spent his entire life in Washington Heights. The Bing family meshed with other recent New Yorkers hailing from different parts of the United States and the world, yet united in their working class solidarity and desire for opportunities for themselves and their children. Obie placed his expertise at the service of his neighborhood, carrying out many improvements in his building and on his block. We are forever grateful for his countless contributions," said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.