City Planning taps new waterfront director

Michael Marrella, the City Planning Department’s project director for waterfront plan Vision 2020, has been appointed overall director of the Waterfront and Open Space Planning Division, Commissioner Amanda Burden announced today. Marrella oversaw all aspects of Vision 2020, a plan for a sustainable blueprint for the city’s waterfront and waterways revealed earlier this year.

“Marrella ably advanced the agenda for reclaiming the city’s waterfront and making it part of the everyday lives of New Yorkers,” Burden said in a statement. “He will provide strong and capable leadership as we go forward.”

In his new role, the former environmental planning manager will be responsible for directing waterfront land use policy for the agency and will advise Burden and members of the planning commission on planning and land use issues as they relate to waterfront and open space areas.

The position was previously filled by Bill Woods, who recently retired after 40 years at the agency. — Katherine Clarke