Former Empire State Development Head Named To Lead City Planning
The new head of the NYC Department of City Planning director is a familiar face to the New York development community: former Empire State Development Corp CEO Marisa Lago.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Lago would replace outgoing City Planning head Carl Weisbrod when Weisbrod leaves his post next month, calling the transition "a bittersweet moment." Lago, who serves as the assistant secretary for international markets and development at the US Department of the Treasury, will also fill Weisbrod's seat as the chair of the city's Planning Commission.
Weisbrod will take over as chair of the Trust for Governors Island as the organization pushes forward on redevelopment and preservation plans for one of the city's largest open spaces.
Lago has also served as commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development and director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and worked under Weisbrod as his general counsel when he was president of the NYC Economic Development Corp. She's a 61-year-old Brooklyn native and a grad of Cooper Union and Harvard Law School.
“Change is the one constant in New York, and it is never easy," Lago said in a release. "I’ve had the privilege of learning how to make change work for people and businesses by watching leaders like Carl Weisbrod, and I have spent my entire career finding smart solutions to the tough problems that come with a growing, changing world. We can and we will keep our neighborhoods affordable, our economy competitive, our businesses thriving and our communities strong.”
