Meet New York City's First Regional Planning Director

A city planning office with a regional focus? Such a rare beast is real in New York City. There's even a new leader at the helm of the operation.

1 minute read

May 11, 2016, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


East River

Songquan Deng / Shutterstock

"New York City is getting its first regional planning director," reports Dana Rubinstein. The new leader of the city's regional planning office is Carolyn Grossman Meagher.

Rubinstein also reported the news of the creation of the regional planning office in October 2015. As far as anyone knows, or is willing to say, in New York, the city's office of regional planning is unique among planning office around the country. The office was created as a park of OneNYC, "the sustainability framework formerly known as PlaNYC."  

Expectations for the office that Grossman Meagher will now lead are high. "Infrastructure types, who routinely bemoan the lack of regional coordination on everything from transportation to housing, hailed the city’s recognition that it is, in fact, not an isolated city-state," according to Rubinstein.

Friday, May 6, 2016 in Politico New York

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

1 hour ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

3 hours ago - UNM News

Bird's eye view of half-circle suburban street with large homes.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City

If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

5 hours ago - Investopedia