Pat Foye, New York Development Chief, Resigns

Patrick Foye, the state’s downstate development chief, has resigned from his post, following Governor Spitzer out the door. Mr. Foye oversaw a wide array of development initiatives, most notably managing the mega-projects underway that dot the city, from the Javits Center renovation to the proposed multi-billion-dollar redevelopment and expansion of Pennsylvania Station as part of the Moynihan Station project.

The downstate chairman of Empire State Development, Mr. Foye is a former lawyer (“recovering lawyer,” in his words) who in many ways struggled to get projects off the ground in his first year. The proposed expansion of the Javits Center effectively blew up in his face when he sought to evaluate it, as he found that the cost of building the type of facility the Governor wanted would cost billions more than had been budgeted. The ever-complicated Moynihan Station project seemed weighed down by the tangle of agencies and its multi-billion dollar cost, though in recent weeks the project appeared to be reaching a potential turning point.

Still, there were other positives for Mr. Foye in his tenure. He pushed for reform and accountability in the Empire Zone economic growth program, and he played a role in moving forward the development at the West Side rail yards.

While many of Mr. Spitzer’s inner circle of aides have resigned or intend to resign, departures at the commissioner level last week were minimal. Mr. Foye and other commissioners were said to be asked to stay as Governor-designate Paterson assumed his new role.

Mr. Foye, once a member of the Conservative Party and a Republican donor, was brought in by Mr. Spitzer during his campaign. An acquaintance of both Mr. Spitzer and his wife Silda from his days at Skadden Arps, Mr. Foye joined the governor in his rhetoric of parsimony with state dollars, keeping subsidy amounts to a minimum.

[This post has been changed slightly from its original version.] 

Official statement from the ESDC below.

ESDC Chairman Patrick Foye has announced that he will resign from his post as Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation and return to the private sector. Chairman Foye joined the Spitzer Administration in 2007. As he noted in his resignation letter: "Given Governor Spitzer’s resignation and my belief that you deserve to work with a team of your choosing, I have determined that it is timely for me to resign and return to the private sector.” Mr. Foye will continue to work at ESDC to ensure an orderly transition process.