A Blueprint for Public Realm Leadership

Implementation guide for a Deputy Mayor for Placemaking and the Public Realm
by MAS – The Municipal Art Society of New York

Unlike many other cities of its size, including Paris, Los Angeles, and Boston, New York lacks a central position within its government for planning and maintaining the public realm. In 2020, through the Future of Open Space series, MAS heard from advocates around the city on ways to improve active transportation, support small business, increase health, and celebrate our city. New York City has the opportunity to facilitate greater alignment between the myriad agencies that influence the public realm by establishing a centralized leadership role within the Mayor’s Office.

In this latest report, A Blueprint for Public Realm Leadership, MAS builds upon the initial call for a Director of the Public Realm in 2019’s Bright Ideas report and our previous policy brief outlining the structure of the office, A Public Champion for the Public Realm. This document is a roadmap for the creation of a Deputy Mayor for Placemaking and the Public Realm, a position within New York City government dedicated to improving intergovernmental coordination and oversight of public spaces and innovatively connecting people and the places they experience.

Download the guide on MAS website here.

Recommended by Luisa Bravo