Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Jack Deacy (212) 788-2969
Mayor Giuliani signed legislation creating the DDC last October, and in December he appointed Mr. Tormenta as Acting Commissioner. As Commissioner Mr. Tormenta will be responsible for the organization and implementation of the plan to unify the Department of Transportation's street construction program, the Department of Environmental Protection's water main and sewer construction program and the Department of General Service's vast building program, including construction of Police, Fire and Sanitation buildings, correctional facilities, libraries, cultural institutions and other municipal structures.
"One of the major objectives of my administration is to improve the way the City delivers services," Mayor Giuliani said. "The restructuring that created the Department of Design and Construction will bring about more efficient and cost effective results. Building and infrastructure improvement are part of the life blood of the City and its economy. The Department of Design and Construction now has overall responsibility for managing and coordinating this program and Commissioner Tormenta is particularly well suited to lead this effort."
Commissioner Tormenta, a licensed civil engineer, said, "I am honored to be part of this major effort to advance Mayor Giuliani's agenda to re-engineer the way the City approaches its construction program. We will maintain the highest degree of architectural, engineering and construction quality and use the most advanced management and technological methods available. The Department of Design and Construction has a team from the departments of General Services, Environmental Protection, Transportation and other agencies that is second to none."
Richard Schwartz, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, who oversees the City's capital program, said the major restructuring of departmental responsibilities demonstrates that New York City is strengthening its commitment to building and infrastructure programs. "The vitality of the City depends on a strong infrastructure and well designed and constructed public facilities," Mr. Schwartz said. "Streamlining projects from the drawing board through completion will improve the quality of life in neighborhoods undergoing construction."
A graduate of Manhattan College, Commissioner Tormenta formerly served as First Assistant Commissioner for Capital Projects at the Department of General Services, where he was responsible for construction programs for the Police and Fire Departments, Correction, Health and Cultural buildings and Public Libraries. While at DGS, he developed and implemented a reorganization of the Capital Division, consolidating the design and construction bureaus into a comprehensive management organization structured around "client service teams."
Prior to joining the Department of General Services in 1992, Commissioner Tormenta led the Downstate Division of the New York State Facilities Development Corporation.
Commissioner Tormenta and his wife Debra have two daughters, Lauren and Olivia.