Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, Hon. ASLA
Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Mitchell Silver became commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks in May 2014. The immediate past president of the American Planning Association (APA), Commissioner Silver is an award-winning planner with over 30 years of experience. He is internationally recognized for his leadership in the planning profession and his contributions to contemporary planning issues. As parks commissioner, he oversees management, planning, and operations of nearly 30,000 acres of parkland, which includes parks, playgrounds, beaches, marinas, recreation centers, wilderness areas, and other assets. He developed the Community Parks Initiative to build a more equitable parks system, Parks Without Borders to create a more seamless public realm, and the Anchor Parks program to make old parks new again. Prior to returning to his native New York City, Commissioner Silver served as the Chief Planning and Development Officer and Planning Director for Raleigh, North Carolina. In Raleigh, he led the comprehensive plan update process and a rewriting of the development code to create a vibrant 21st-century city. In 2014 he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Planning Association, and in 2017 he was made an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. One of the nation’s most celebrated urban thinkers, Commissioner Silver was elected to Planetizen’s 2017 list of the 100 Most Influential Urbanists in the world. He received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and a master’s degree in urban planning from Hunter College in New York City.

Existing Conditions at Seward Park, New York City, NY; Proposed Transformation of Seward Park, New York City, NY. Courtesy NYC Parks.