Thomas Foley, P.E. CCM ENV SP is the Deputy Commissioner for Public Buildings of the Department of Design and Construction of New York City. He oversees 375 employees and over 711 active projects. As Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Foley works with DDC’s sponsor agencies to design and construct buildings such as EMS stations, firehouses, libraries, theaters, and cultural centers throughout the City.
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.