Richard Born

Richard Born
Name	Richard Born
Birth date	1958
Birth place	New York City
Occupation	Urban planner; Architect; Author
Years active	1983–present
Alma mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Columbia University

Richard Born is an American urban planner, architect, and author known for his work on metropolitan land-use policy, transportation planning, and urban redevelopment. He has combined practice, scholarship, and public advocacy to influence zoning reform, transit-oriented development, and regional governance. His career spans academia, municipal consulting, and leadership roles in non-profit organizations focused on urbanism and sustainability.

Early life and education

Born in New York City, he attended Stuyvesant High School before earning a Bachelor of Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Urban Planning from Columbia University. During his studies he worked with faculty associated with the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the Regional Plan Association, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. He also participated in research seminars linked to the Urban Land Institute and the American Institute of Architects.

Career

His early professional experience included positions at prominent architecture and planning firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and consultants affiliated with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He later served on advisory panels for the New York City Department of City Planning and collaborated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on transit-oriented development strategies. He has held faculty appointments and visiting scholar roles at institutions including Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

He co-founded a planning practice that worked with municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and philanthropic organizations including the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, producing comprehensive plans and zoning reform proposals for regions such as the Hudson County waterfront, the Los Angeles County corridor projects, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning initiatives. He has testified before legislative bodies including the New York State Legislature and advisory commissions associated with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

His consulting and advocacy connected him with civic groups like Transportation Alternatives, the Municipal Art Society of New York, and the Regional Plan Association, while professional engagement included leadership in the American Planning Association and participation in conferences hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism.

Personal life

He is based in New York City and has been active in neighborhood preservation and civic design efforts in boroughs such as Manhattan and Brooklyn. He has been a board member of local organizations linked to the Trust for Public Land and cultural institutions including the Museum of Modern Art and the New-York Historical Society. His familial ties include collaborations with colleagues who have held roles at the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Notable works and projects

Born has authored and co-authored planning studies, monographs, and design guidelines used by municipal agencies and non-profits. Major projects include redevelopment frameworks for the Hudson Yards, transit-oriented proposals for the Long Island Rail Road corridors, and mixed-use infill strategies implemented in partnership with the New Jersey Transit Corporation. He led design charrettes and policy reports for waterfront revitalization in Jersey City and collaborated on resilience plans responding to events such as Hurricane Sandy.

His published works and reports have appeared alongside analyses from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the Brookings Institution, and the Urban Land Institute. He has contributed chapters to edited volumes published by the Princeton University Press and participated in interdisciplinary projects with researchers from the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Awards and recognition

He has received awards and honors from professional bodies including the American Institute of Architects for urban design excellence, the American Planning Association for planning publications, and citations from the New York State Association of Realtors for contributions to regional development policy. His work has been recognized by civic organizations such as the Municipal Art Society of New York and philanthropic foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation for impact on equitable redevelopment and resilience planning.

Category:American architects Category:Urban planners Category:People from New York City