In Memorandum: Remarks on the Passing of John E. Zuccotti

John Zuccotti (photo credit: Urban Land Institute)

Legendary New Yorker John Zuccotti, who passed away on November 19 after a lifelong dedicated public service career, was honored by John Kelly of Nixon Peabody at the New York Housing Conference (NYHC) and National Housing Conference luncheon on December 9, 2015.

Zuccotti’s public service career included serving as First Deputy Mayor of NYC and Chair of the NYC Planning Commission, playing a key role in saving NYC from the fiscal crisis of the 1970’s and in revitalizing Lower Manhattan after 9/11. To learn more about John Zuccotti’s biography, read Urban Land Institute’s John E. Zuccotti, Brookfield Chairman Who Saved NYC during 1970s Fiscal Crisis, Dies at 78

Here are John Kelly’s remarks that sum up this giant of a man so aptly:

I would like to take a moment to remember and honor John Zuccotti.

John was the recipient of our life time achievement award in 2004. John received this award for many accomplishments not the least of which were the almost unsung roles he played in rescuing our city in the fiscal crisis of the 1970s and in the rebuilding of lower Manhattan after 9/11.

John was a remarkable yet modest man. He firmly believed that it is possible to accomplish anything if you do not care who takes the credit.

John was a man of great empathy but was not afraid of hard choices. He devoted his life to this City and did make hard decisions which resulted in a better City for all.

I had the honor and privilege to be John’s colleague and partner in the formative years of my career. He was a mentor and a friend.  

To repeat one of the many eulogies John has received:

John was a blessing to those who knew him and a champion of those who did not.

To learn more about John Kelly or to contact him, click here: http://www.nixonpeabody.com/john_l_kelly

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