Carl Weisbrod

Biography: With over 40 years of experience in public service and urban development, Carl’s distinguished career is a testament to his commitment to building equitable, resilient, and economically vibrant communities. Carl Weisbrod is a national authority on city planning, affordable housing policy, urban development, and public-private real estate development. In his four decades of experience, Carl has brokered and led complex public-private partnerships and created innovative governance strategies to spur economic development. His record of visionary, innovative, and successful urban development initiatives has made him an internationally sought after advisor. Throughout his career guiding public agencies and transformative development initiatives, Carl has served the City of New York in many capacities– most recently, as Chairman of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the New York City Department of City Planning. Prior to these appointments, Carl was a Partner at HR&A, where he managed the successful rezoning of the Hudson Square area in Manhattan, which has transformed the neighborhood into a dynamic hub for creative industries and new housing, including up to 700 affordable units. Preceding his initial tenure at HR&A, Carl led efforts to revitalize two of New York City’s most iconic neighborhoods – Times Square, from the late 1970’s through the early 1990’s, and Lower Manhattan, both pre- and post-9/11. His former positions include: President of New York State's 42nd Street Development Project; Founding President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation; Director of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; Founding President of the Alliance for Downtown New York; and President of the Real Estate Division for Trinity Church and Executive Vice-President of Trinity Church-St. Paul’s Chapel. Carl is the former chairman of the New York State Health Foundation, a non-profit entity which funds innovative healthcare programs throug