Governor George E. Pataki today announced the appointment of Robert Douglass, Chairman of the Alliance for Downtown New York and the Downtown-Lower Manhattan Association, to the Board of Directors of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC).  The LMDC is the joint State-City Corporation formed to oversee the revitalization of Lower Manhattan, in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. 

Robert Douglass will join the Governor’s seven appointees Robert P. Balachandran, Managing Director in the Public Finance Department at Bear Stearns and the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hudson River Park Trust, Charles A. Gargano, Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation and Vice-Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Thomas S.  Johnson, retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GreenPoint Bank and GreenPoint Financial Corporation, James Kallstrom, the Governor’s Senior Advisor for Counter-Terrorism and the former head of the FBI’s New York division, Edward J. Malloy, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, John C. Whitehead and Madelyn Wils, former Chairperson of Community Board 1.

“Robert Douglass has been a tireless advocate for Lower Manhattan for decades. He is a dynamic, committed leader who brings the vision, experience and expertise to ensure that we realize the Master Site Plan for the World Trade Center and ensure that Lower Manhattan remains the financial capital of the world for generations to come,” Governor Pataki said.  “In the next few months construction will commence on the Freedom Tower and the centerpiece of our efforts, the memorial to the nearly 3,000 heroes we lost. We are well on our way towards fulfilling our collective vision of a Lower Manhattan for the 21st century-- a world-class destination for companies, workers, residents and visitors.”

Robert Douglass has served as Chairman to the Alliance for Downtown New York, New York City’s largest business improvement district since its inception in 1995. He also serves as Chairman of the Downtown-Lower Manhattan Association founded in 1958 under the leadership of David Rockefeller representing the interests of over 90 members of almost all of the major businesses Downtown. Robert Douglass is Of Counsel to Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP. He served as Chairman of the Board of Cedel International from 1994-2004. Previously, Mr. Douglass served as Vice Chairman and Director of The Chase Manhattan Corporation (1985-1993) and as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of The Chase Manhattan Corporation (1976-1985). From 1965 to 1972, he served as Counsel and later Secretary to Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. Mr. Douglass is a member of several business and not-for-profit boards of directors. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a former Board Member f the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a former Trustee of The New York Public Library, The New York Botanical Garden and Dartmouth College.

The LMDC is a joint State-City corporation formed by the Governor and the Mayor to oversee the rebuilding and revitalization of Lower Manhattan.  The LMDC Board, chaired by John C. Whitehead, is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors – eight appointed by the Governor, eight appointed by the Mayor.