# Mitchell Silver

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{{short description|American urban planner}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Mitchell Silver
| native_name         = <!--The person's name in their own language, if different.-->
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| order               = 
| office              = Member of the [Raleigh City Council](/source/Raleigh_City_Council)
| status              = <!--If this is specified, overrides Incumbent.-->
| term_start          = December 2, 2024
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| constituency        = District A
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| predecessor         = Mary Black-Branch
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| order2              = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
| office2             = [Parks Commissioner of New York City](/source/New_York_City_Department_of_Parks_and_Recreation)
| term_start2         = May 1, 2014
| term_end2           = July 30, 2021
| alongside2          = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
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| predecessor2        = Liam Kavanagh
| successor2          = Gabrielle Fialkoff
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| majority2           = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
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| president1          = 
| birth_place         = [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_State), U.S.
| education           = [Pratt Institute](/source/Pratt_Institute) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts))<br />[Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College) ([MA](/source/Master_of_Arts))
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1960|06|27}}
}}
'''Mitchell J. Silver''' (born June 27, 1960) is an urban planner and former commissioner for the [New York City](/source/New_York_City) [Parks Department](/source/New_York_City_Department_of_Parks_and_Recreation).

Appointed by [Mayor](/source/NYC_Mayor) [Bill de Blasio](/source/Bill_de_Blasio), he assumed the office of [New York City Parks Commissioner](/source/New_York_City_Department_of_Parks_and_Recreation) in May 2014, and led the department until his resignation in July 2021.<ref name="NYT" /> He was president of the [American Planning Association](/source/American_Planning_Association) (APA) between 2011 and 2013, the first African American to hold the title.

Elected in 2024, he currently serves as a City Council member in [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina), where he served as chief Planning and Development Officer and Planning Director from 2005 to 2014.

== Education ==
Silver attended [Midwood High School](/source/Midwood_High_School) in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn). He has a [bachelor's degree](/source/bachelor's_degree) in Architecture from [Pratt Institute](/source/Pratt_Institute) and a [Master of Urban Planning](/source/Master_of_Urban_Planning) from [Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nycgovparks.org/news/daily-plant?id=23120|title = The Daily Plant : NYC Parks}}</ref> He is certified by the [American Institute of Certified Planners](/source/American_Institute_of_Certified_Planners) (AICP) and a licensed Professional Planner (PP) in the State of [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey).

== Career ==
He held roles as a policy and planning director for the [Manhattan Borough President](/source/Manhattan_Borough_President)'s office, a city planner for the New York City Department of Planning, a principal of a New York City-based planning firm, a [town manager](/source/town_manager) in [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey), and deputy planning director in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)

He served as chief [Planning](/source/urban_planning) and Development Officer and Planning Director for the City of [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina) previous to his [NYC Parks Department](/source/NYC_Parks_Department) position. He was president of the [American Planning Association](/source/American_Planning_Association) (APA) between 2011 and 2013, the first African American to hold the title.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hunteruap.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Urban-Review_Spring-2011.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116082916/http://www.hunteruap.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Urban-Review_Spring-2011.pdf |archivedate=2014-01-16 }}</ref>

In Raleigh, Silver directed a staff of 230 employees in the Departments of City Planning, Community Development and Inspections, in addition to four offices: Transportation Planning, [Economic Development](/source/Economic_Development), Development Services, and the City's Urban Design Center. He served on the City's Executive Leadership team with the City Manager, Assistant City Managers, [CFO](/source/CFO) and CIO. Silver led the comprehensive plan update process in [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina) and oversaw a rewrite of the Development Code.<ref name="theguardian">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jul/02/mitchell-silver-redesigning-way-live?CMP=twt_gu|title=Mitchell Silver: Redesigning the way we live – Society – The Guardian|date=July 2, 2013|publisher=theguardian.com|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref>

As president of APA, he led an international effort to elevate the value and rebirth of planning in the 21st century.

In 2015, he told the ''New York Times'' that [Brooklyn Bridge Park](/source/Brooklyn_Bridge_Park) was one of his favorite city parks.<ref name=NYT/>

=== New York City Parks Commissioner ===
Mayor [Bill de Blasio](/source/Bill_de_Blasio) named Silver the New York City's Parks Commissioner in 2014.<ref name="NYT2">{{Cite news|last=Foderaro|first=Lisa W.|date=2014-03-21|title=North Carolina Planner Named to Head New York City Parks Dept.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/nyregion/mitchell-silver-north-carolina-planner-named-to-head-nyc-parks-dept.html|access-date=2021-11-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> At the time, the Mayor said:  "He has a passion for fairness and equality, and he brings it to the work of government, and understands that we have to ensure that parks and open spaces are available in every community, and are well-maintained in every community in this city."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff : NYC Parks|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/people/nyc-parks-commissioner|access-date=2021-11-18|website=www.nycgovparks.org}}</ref> The ''New York Times'' wrote that "Mr. Silver’s selection suggests that the mayor plans to confront the issue of inequality in the city’s parks."<ref name=NYT2/>

In 2017, Silver appointed [Marty Maher](/source/Martin_Maher_(Parks_Commissioner)) to the position of Brooklyn Parks Commissioner.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.queensledger.com/view/full_story/27357027/article-Longtime-parks-employee-moves-to-top-Brooklyn-position?|title=Longtime parks employee moves to top Brooklyn position|last=Kearns|first=Patrick|date=|website=Queens Ledger|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Teaching and honors==
He has taught graduate planning courses at [Harvard Graduate School of Design](/source/Harvard_Graduate_School_of_Design), [Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College), [Brooklyn College](/source/Brooklyn_College), [Pratt Institute](/source/Pratt_Institute), and [North Carolina State University](/source/North_Carolina_State_University).<ref name="planning">{{cite web|url=http://www.planning.org/apaataglance/leadership/apaboard.htm|title=APA Board of Directors|publisher=planning.org|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref> Silver lectures throughout the United States and abroad on a variety of planning topics. He is a contributing author and editor of the [International City/County Management Association](/source/International_City%2FCounty_Management_Association) (ICMA) latest edition of "Local Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practice," which is a resource for local governments engaged in planning.

In 2012, the ''Urban Times'' named him s top international thought leaders of the built environment today. The next year, [UBM](/source/UBM_plc) Future Cities named Silver as one of the top 100 City Innovators in the world and the [Royal Town Planning Institute](/source/Royal_Town_Planning_Institute) made him an honorary lifetime member. In 2014, he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Planning Association.

In 2016, Silver was elected a [Fellow of the UK's Academy of Social Sciences](/source/Fellow_of_the_Academy_of_Social_Sciences) (FAcSS).<ref>{{cite web|title=Eighty-four leading social scientists conferred as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences|url=https://www.acss.org.uk/news/eighty-four-leading-social-scientists-conferred-fellows-academy-social-sciences/|website=Academy of Social Sciences|accessdate=5 August 2017|date=19 October 2016}}</ref>

In 2017, Silver was selected to become an Honorary [American Society of Landscape Architects](/source/American_Society_of_Landscape_Architects) (ASLA) Member.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ASLA Announces Newest Honors Recipients {{!}} asla.org|url=https://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=50465|access-date=2021-10-07|website=www.asla.org}}</ref>

==Personal life==
He is married to Mary, an administrator for the [nonprofit](/source/nonprofit) [Brooklyn Community Services](/source/Brooklyn_Community_Services), and they have a daughter. He is a confessed "[social media](/source/social_media) addict."<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/nyregion/how-mitchell-j-silver-new-york-city-parks-commissioner-spends-his-sundays.html|title=How Mitchell J. Silver, New York City Parks Commissioner, Spends His Sundays|last=Foderaro|first=Lisa|date=7 August 2015|work=The New York Times}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=Liam Kavanagh}}
{{s-ttl|title=[New York City Department of Parks and Recreation](/source/New_York_City_Department_of_Parks_and_Recreation) <br> Commissioner|years=2014–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Gabrielle Fialkoff}}
{{s-end}}

{{Bill de Blasio cabinet}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver, Mitchell}}
Category:Living people
Category:American urban planners
Category:Commissioners in New York City
Category:Pratt Institute alumni
Category:Hunter College alumni
Category:African-American architects
Category:American architects
Category:New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Category:Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences
Category:Brooklyn College faculty
Category:21st-century African-American people
Category:1960 births
Category:20th-century African-American people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mitchell Silver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Silver) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Silver?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.