Penny Lee

Director of Planning at Dynamic Star

Penny Lee is a New York City Planning veteran. Prior to joining Dynamic Star in 2018, Lee served as Senior Planner for Long Island City & Queens Community District 2 at the NYC Department of City Planning for 29 years. As the lead planner for several zoning changes and infrastructure projects, including the LIC Special District and Queens Plaza, Lee worked seamlessly throughout the Koch, Dinkens, Guiliani, Bloomberg, and de Blasio administrations to create one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the country while preserving the neighborhood’s industrial precincts.

Lee began her career at DCP in 1988 and while at the agency, Lee established land use, zoning, and infrastructure policy for Sunnyside, Woodside, and Long Island City. Lee’s Plan for Long Island City: A Framework for Development (1993) established a long-term land use and zoning policy for the neighborhood. She initiated and implemented follow-up zoning changes in the neighborhood in 1995, 1997, and 2001. The zoning changes in Long Island City have resulted in approximately 17,000 new housing units and approximately 2 million square feet of new office space to date. The area has grown into a vibrant residential and commercial district, attracting attention from the largest companies in the world.

Additionally, at DCP, Lee worked closely with developers and city and state agencies on zoning and land use changes that facilitated key projects, including Queens West, Hunter’s Point South, the former East River Tennis Club site, and Silvercup West.