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January 23, 2017

Thomas J. Foley, P.E., Named Deputy Commissioner for Public Buildings

Contact:
Ian Michaels
718-391-1589

 

Long Island City, NY - Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora of the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced that Thomas J. Foley, P.E., has been named Deputy Commissioner for Public Buildings, taking control of a DDC division with 375 employees and over 711 active projects. As Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Foley will report directly to the DDC Commissioner and will work with DDC’s client agencies to design and construct buildings such as EMS stations, firehouses, libraries, theaters, and cultural centers throughout the City.

“Tom has 25 years of engineering experience with the City of New York and is universally liked and admired by his peers,” said Commissioner Peña-Mora. “He understands people, he understands the needs of DDC’s client agencies, and he knows how to work in a complicated construction environment like New York. He uses that expertise to marshal his teams to consistently deliver quality projects that enhance the City’s many diverse neighborhoods. 

DDC Deputy Commissioner Thomas J. Foley, P.E.

“Tom has proven himself time and time again at DDC, on projects including World Trade Center recovery, water connections to the City’s crucial Third Water Tunnel, and most recently by supervising the complicated reconstruction of Times Square Plaza,” said Commissioner Peña-Mora. “We are very pleased to name him our new Deputy Commissioner.”

“I am honored to be working with a dedicated and talented team of engineers, architects and administrators.  Our collective goal is to improve the City's critical public facilities and buildings which will benefit all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Commissioner Foley

Mr. Foley is a licensed engineer in New York and New Jersey, and received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Manhattan College. He is a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). Mr. Foley joined the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as a Resident Engineer in 1992, supervising capital water and sewer projects and working with DEP’s Bluebelt Unit on streambank remediation and erosion and sediment control.

He started at DDC as an Engineer-in-Charge in 1998, supervising a team of Resident Engineers and evaluating and approving design modifications of engineering structures and systems. Following the 9/11 tragedy in fall 2001, Mr. Foley became a Project Manager for DDC’s World Trade Center Disaster Recovery and Debris Removal Project, reviewing staffing and procedures, analyzing labor and equipment utilization, and identifying and correcting inefficiencies in the $500 million project.

He eventually worked his way up through the agency, holding roles as Deputy Director, Director, and Assistant Commissioner in the agency’s Division of Infrastructure. In January 2014, Mr. Foley became Associate Commissioner in the Division of Infrastructure, managing an engineering and administrative staff of over 250 DDC professionals and 600 consultants, and overseeing the daily responsibilities of the Division’s capital delivery program. 

Mr. Foley is the recipient of several professional awards, including the 2013 Outstanding Contribution Award from Professional Archeologists of New York City (PANYC); the 2008 Recognition Award from the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner for his work at the World Trade Center site; and 2004 and 2007 Exceptional Service Awards from the Alliance for Downtown New York.



About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.