Pittsburgh planning chief Ray Gastil to join CMU faculty

Pittsburgh’s planning chief has changed plans.

Ray Gastil, the city’s Planning Director, has accepted a position at Carnegie Mellon University.

He will be the David Lewis Director of Urban Design and Regional Engagement in the School of Architecture at CMU, where he will teach architecture and urban design and direct the university’s Remaking Cities Institute.

Gastil was hired as planning director in 2014 and was previously a planner in Seattle and New York.

In Pittsburgh, Gastil worked to establish plans for the city’s neighborhoods, a riverfront zoning ordinance that establishes inventive responsible growth on the city’s rivers and public art projects, according to a city news release. Gastil’s tenure coincided with a time of redevelopment in the city, and he worked to shift the city’s focus from managing decline to managing growth, Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement.

“Ray was the perfect person to help guide us through that transition,” Peduto said. “I am happy he is staying in Pittsburgh, and we will continue to work together closely in his new role.”