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Greater than Ever

New York's Big Comeback

Regular Price $18.99

Regular Price $24.99 CAD

Regular Price $18.99

Regular Price $24.99 CAD

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On Sale

Sep 12, 2017

Page Count

400 Pages

ISBN-13

9781610396080

Description

The former deputy mayor of New York City tells the story of the city’s comeback after 9/11, offering lessons in resiliency under the most trying of circumstances, and a model for the rejuvenation of any city.

Deputy Mayor Daniel L. Doctoroff led New York’s dramatic and unexpected economic resurgence after the September 11 terrorist attacks. With Mayor Michael Bloomberg, he developed a remarkably ambitious five-borough economic development plan to not only recover from the attacks but to completely transform New York’s economy: New neighborhoods were created. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were generated. The largest municipal affordable housing plan in American history was completed. Ground Zero was rebuilt. And New York adopted a pathbreaking sustainability plan.

None of this was straightforward. New York has some of the most entrenched financial and political interests anywhere, and it has a population that is quick to let its public officials know exactly what is on its mind. Doctoroff’s plans for a New York Olympic Games and a stadium on the West Side crashed and burned, but phoenix-like he engineered the transformation of the city anyway.

Greater than Ever is a bracing adventure–when can-do attitude dove headlong into New York’s unique realpolitik of “fuggedaboutit” — during which the city was changed for the better.

What's Inside

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Praise

"Lots of people (like me) write about cities and city-building, Daniel L. Doctoroff actually builds cities. As the world embarks on the greatest wave of urbanism in history, Greater than Ever provides the playbook for building truly great cities based on Doctoroff's experience rebuilding the world's greatest city, New York." —Richard Florida, author of TheRise of the Creative Class and The New Urban Crisis
"Whenever I ride my bicycle through New York, I can see the personal imprint of Daniel L. Doctoroff, whose visionary work made the city we both love better. This book is a bird's-eye view of successful government, told by an effective, bold, and persuasive public servant." —Senator Chuck Schumer, New York
"The recovery of New York in the ten years after the World Trade Center disaster was nothing short of miraculous. The skyscrapers, the jobs, and the sense of optimism all returned. New York was once again the capital of the world. No one had more to do with this result than Daniel L. Doctoroff. Whether the topic is affordable housing, the High Line, Ground Zero, the campaign for the Olympics, or the reconstruction of the waterfront, Doctoroff had his fingers all over the fight. Greater Than Ever is Doctoroff's story, and he tells it with humility, clarity, grace, perception, and honesty." —Kenneth T. Jackson, editor in chief,Encyclopedia of New York City, and Barzun Professor of History, ColumbiaUniversity
"A valuable lesson in how much money, brainpower and relentless application it takes to achieve real progress in a big city beset by old-school politics, racial and ethnic conflict, and crumbling infrastructure... The Wall Street savvy of Mr. Doctoroff and the people he recruited conjured innovative financial solutions that often saved the day... No one can fairly argue that Bloomberg and Co. didn't leave New York far, far stronger than they found it." —Wall Street Journal
"[Greater Than Ever] chronicles Doctoroff's time as deputy mayor and offers an inside-city-hall look at what it took to revive lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks, grow and diversify the city's economy, spur major projects such as Hudson Yards and the High Line, increase affordable housing investment, and more." —Next City
"Under Doctoroff's leadership, the landscape of New York from Lower Manhattan to downtown Brooklyn has radically changed. During his six years in office, Doctoroff laid the groundwork for the High Line, now one of New York's most popular tourist attractions, and Hudson Yards, an entire new neighborhood that will bring the city billions in tax revenue over the next decades." —Fast Company
"[An] entertaining affirmation of government's ability to shape society, physically and economically... There are a dozen smart ideas here worth replicating." —Architectural Record
"A fascinating peek at a critical moment in New York's history." —Curbed New York
"Few people have had a greater impact on the look and feel of New York City than Dan Doctoroff... In his new memoir, Greater Than Ever, he describes the behind the scenes policy discussions that led to projects like the High Line, Hudson Yards, the World Trade Center Complex, and Barclays Center. He remains on the cutting edge of urbanism." —City Lab
"A must-read for urban development wonks." —Media Post
"Doctoroff had a sweeping portfolio of responsibilities, but his most important legacy-and one of the Bloomberg administration's-was the physical revival of New York City." —City Journal
"An optimistic urbanist voice is especially welcome and timely." —Harvard Magazine
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