Two decades for the city's center

Former Co-Director Vicki Been '83; Faculty Director Ingrid Gould Ellen; Executive Director Jessica Yager '03

NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy marked its 20th anniversary this year with an evening of toasts and celebration. The event also marked the announcement of NYU Law Trustee Jonathan Mechanic ’77, partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, as the new chairman of the center’s Board of Advisors.

In a video made especially for the anniversary, experts in the field spoke about the mark that the center has made on New York City. “Focusing specifically on housing, and those kind of urban problems and zoning, was something that no other institution was really doing, and by looking at that, [the center] helped the city evolve much more innovative policies over the years,” said Mark Willis, senior policy fellow at the center.

“Because NYU Furman is rooted in both rigor and in understanding of communities, it produces essential research,” said Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. “NYU Furman is a gift to the city.” 

Posted September 2, 2016