MAYOR ADAMS APPOINTS YA-TING LIU AS NYC’S FIRST-EVER CHIEF PUBLIC REALM OFFICER

 

Creation of New Role Was Key Plank of Mayor Adams’ State of the City Address, Builds on $375 Million Investment in Public Spaces

 

Signed Today, Executive Order 27 Will Codify Position

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today appointed Ya-Ting Liu as the city’s first-ever chief public realm officer, delivering on a key promise from his State of the City address. In this newly created role, Liu will coordinate across city government, community organizations, and the private sector to create extraordinary public spaces across the entire city and continue to drive the city’s economic recovery. Mayor Adams today also signed Executive Order 27, codifying the creation of the position and ensuring that New Yorkers continue to have a one-stop shop for all issues related to public space.

 

“Our city’s public spaces are too important to fall through the cracks of bureaucracy, and now they won’t,” said Mayor Adams. “New Yorkers need to know there is one person at City Hall whose number one goal is to improve their quality of life by creating incredible, new public spaces and ensuring the ones we have are clean, equitable, and safe. As someone who knows how to think big and ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers, Ya-Ting Liu is the right person to serve as the city’s first-ever chief public realm officer.”

 

“I am thrilled for Ya-Ting’s newest appointment as chief public realm officer. Her out-of-the-box-thinking, passion for well-designed, inclusive public spaces for all, and ability to bring all parts of government together is critical to the operations portfolio and ensuring that our agencies deliver forward-looking ideas and projects,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “She brings over 15 years of organizing, advocacy, and policy expertise on creating a built environment that is safe, clean, and livable for all. This is her first tour inside government, and she approaches complexity with a fresh, practical perspective. She knows what it takes to ‘Get Stuff Done,’ and I’m excited for her to realize the mayor’s vision for public realm.”

 

“Maintaining a vibrant public realm is absolutely vital to our economic recovery and the overall dynamism of our city, and I am thrilled to see the creation of the chief public realm officer role,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “I look forward to continue working with Ya-Ting Liu as she spearheads improvements to our public realm in both our central business districts and in emerging commercial corridors across the five boroughs.”

 

“In New York City, the public realm is everyone’s living room. It’s where we eat, play, and gather. Having beautiful public spaces accessible to all people is one of our greatest assets — it is what makes New York City so special,” said Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “I am thrilled and honored to be the first-ever chief public realm officer for the City of New York, and I look forward to working with our businesses, community partners, and city agencies to build vibrant, attractive, and inclusive public spaces in all five boroughs.”

 

As chief public realm officer, Liu will focus on delivering two components of Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda.” She will execute on a plan to invest $375 million to create and expand high-quality public spaces in all five boroughs, which includes the Broadway Vision plan, a full reconstruction of Jamaica Avenue from Sutphin Boulevard to Merrick Boulevard, and permanent upgrades to Open Streets in the Bronx and on Staten Island. At the same time, she will lead the administration’s work to deliver a permanent outdoor dining program in partnership with the City Council that works for businesses and residents, building on the massive success of the pandemic-era temporary Open Restaurants program, with clear design guidelines and accessible tools for restaurant owners and communities.

 

Additionally, Liu will also advance forward-thinking reforms to make it easier for community groups and the private sector to partner with the city to become stewards of public spaces and for city agencies to pilot innovative designs and technologies that improve public space management.

 

Liu’s work will support the city’s recovery with a focus on quality of life, wellness, safety, and equity. Building on the recommendations of the “New” New York panel and Mayor Adams’ $900 million investment in traffic safety, her additional priority projects will include:

• Keeping city streets vibrant by addressing the longstanding, pervasive issue of unsightly sidewalk construction sheds, replacing them with newly designed structures, and strengthening enforcement against those who leave sheds up for years;
• Reimagining Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park as a safer, less congested, pedestrian-centered boulevard that also prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists, mass transit, and public space, in partnership with a wide range of public, private, and community partners; and
• Reclaiming spaces under the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, that have for years been closed to most New Yorkers, for public use.

“Ya-Ting Liu’s appointment reaffirms the strong commitment to the public realm throughout the Adams administration, and she is perfectly positioned to lead this effort given her longstanding role working under the leadership of Deputy Mayor Joshi,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “I’m excited to continue to work with Ya-Ting to build upon the innovative leadership of DOT’s public space team, and coordinate the key contributions from NYCEDC, NYC Parks, the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, and others.”

 

“Our public spaces play an increasingly important role for New Yorkers, as places to play, learn, rest, and connect,” said New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We have long known that our parks are essential infrastructure, but COVID entirely changed the way we think about and interact with public space. It’s more important than ever to coordinate with our sister agencies, and we’re excited to work with Ya-Ting and break down silos to better serve New Yorkers.”

 

“From waste containerization to street sweeping to outdoor dining, so many of the biggest, most visible, and complicated questions of municipal management take place in the public realm,” said New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “The urban space that we all share deserves not just attention, discussion, and planning, but also action, and a principled, dedicated public servant to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for our neighborhoods. I have had the privilege of working closely with Ya-Ting Liu, and I am thrilled to have her continuing to serve as a colleague in this new role.”

 

“Creating and carving out public spaces where residents can freely and safely walk and bike around the city encourages low-carbon transportation, which is crucial to combating climate change,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “I look forward to collaborating with Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu on ways we can better utilize public spaces across the city.”

 

“I cannot think of a better person to lead the city’s public realm work than Ya-Ting Liu,” said New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Executive Director Kizzy Charles-Guzmán. “She is a known collaborator and problem solver and will undoubtedly model an equitable and climate-focused approach to create a more livable city that centers safety, accessibility, good health, play, and joy for all New Yorkers.”

 

“We owe it to New Yorkers to make much-needed improvements to the public realm,” said New York City Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. “I commend Mayor Adams for smartly choosing Ya-Ting Liu for this role, and I look forward to working with her on improving the pedestrian experience by modernizing sidewalk sheds and ramping up enforcement efforts against owners who allow sheds to remain in place for too long.”

 

“We are thrilled to welcome Ya-Ting Liu as the first chief public realm officer of New York City,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “The creation of this position was a key action item from the ‘New’ New York Panel’s action plan to make New York City the best place for work by making it the best place — period. Under Ya-Ting’s leadership, there will be a clear voice and vision guiding across all agencies to promote strategies for improving livability through public realm improvements and strategic problem solving. I look forward to continuing to work with Ya-Ting to help create a more vibrant and accessible public realm for all New Yorkers.”

 

“New York wouldn’t be New York without its extraordinary public realm,” said New York City Department of City Planning Director (DCP) and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick. “Parks, privately-owned public spaces, shared streets, waterfront access, and Open Restaurants are just some of the ways DCP is connecting New Yorkers. We’re excited and ready to work with the dedicated, passionate Ya-Ting Liu to make our public spaces even better. Together, we’ll create a healthier, safer, more walkable city for all.”

 

“Investments in public space are essential to enlivening our commercial corridors,” said New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “From Open Streets to outdoor dining, public spaces keep small businesses open and thriving. By appointing the city’s first-ever chief public realm officer, Mayor Adams is showing once again his dedication to improving our neighborhoods with safe, social spaces that ensure our workers, business owners, shoppers, and all residents are able to enjoy all our city has to offer. We are excited to partner with Ya-Ting Liu as she takes on major projects to improve the quality of life in the city’s commercial districts.”

 

“The Public Design Commission is thrilled that Ya-Ting Liu will be New York City’s first chief public realm officer,” said New York City Public Design Commission (PDC) Executive Director Sreoshy Banerjea. “At long last, we will have the focus on innovation, implementation, maintenance, and interagency coordination that breaks down silos between agencies and civic organizations and works toward a common goal of delivering extraordinary public spaces. PDC is a natural partner to help the chief public realm officer identify opportunities and advocate for priorities that align with our collective mission of delivering high-quality public spaces.”