Marisa Lago has been appointed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to replace Carl Weisbrod as Director of the Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission.
Lago, who is currently the U.S. Treasury Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Developments, will take on her new role next month, the mayor's office said on Wednesday.
Lago has worked in the public sector for almost 30 years. She has served as President and CEO of the New York Empire State Development Corp., Commissioner of the New York State Department of Economic Development, and the Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. She also served as the General Counsel to then-NYC Economic Development Corp. President Weisbrod.
Weisbrod will become Chair of the Trust for Governors Island, where he will be a steward of the island's open spaces and historic assets, and foster its development.
"This is a bittersweet moment," de Blasio said in a release. "Carl helped to build our administration and has been part of its bedrock. His contributions have earned him a place as one of our city's great civic leaders, and we are honored that he has agreed to take on the task of continuing Governors Island's incredible transformation."
Weisbrod's achievements include the revitalization of Times Square, the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after 9/11, and the negotiation of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center deal.
"I am so proud of what we've achieve these past three years. From East New York to East Midtown, we are laying a foundation for truly affordable neighborhoods, world-class business districts and smart transit-oriented growth," Weisbrod said. "I've spent my career fighting for New York City and it's fitting that my next chapter will take me to the new frontier on Governor's Island. I am excited to shape into an iconic space of which all New Yorkers can be proud."
Weisbrod's recent work includes the passage of the nation's strongest mandatory inclusionary housing program and an overhaul of the city's zoning laws. On Tuesday, the Planning Commission certified the rezoning of East Midtown as part of a plan to keep the city competitive and invest in the area's public transit and open spaces.
"It's a great honor to come home to the city I love and be given the chance to make it ever stronger and more equitable," Lago said. "Change is the one constant in New York, and it is never easy …. We can and we will keep our neighborhoods affordable, our economy competitive, our businesses thriving and our communities strong."
