Edward Charles Steinberg

Edward C. Steinberg passed away on June 19 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. Born on June 14, 1942 in Ellenville, NY, he was the proud son of immigrants Bella Barmak and Israel Steinberg, and loved to tell the detailed stories of how each of his parents came to this country. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Marian; son Joshua, wife Rachael, grandchildren Isaiah and Gabriel; son Alex, wife Esperanza; and daughter Jean Borrup, husband Kevin, and grandchildren Jonah and Noah. He is also survived by his sister Phyllis Greene and his brother Clarence Steinberg.
Ed earned a B.A. from Columbia College and an M.S. in Urban Planning from the School of Architecture & Planning at Columbia University. He began his professional career in 1966 as a planned for the N.Y. office of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. He came to White Plains in 1970 to work for the Urban Renewal Agency, where he was later named Director. In 1985, he was appointed Commissioner of Planning for the city. He worked closely with Mayor Al DelVecchio and the Common Council in managing many projects, including the Galleria, the Transportation Center, the Public Safety Building, the Westchester Mall, and the Federal Courthouse. He relished the challenge of complicated projects, such as the widening of Hamilton Ave. while maintaining traffic. He was involved in developing regulations protecting environmentally sensitive properties, dedicating land for permanent recreational open space, and permitting housing for homeless persons. Committed to excellence, he demanded the best in design and materials, as well as many extras, such as open space, attractive landscaping, and quite a few of the outdoor sculptures that can be viewed around town. He was often seen in his trademark Stetson hat walking the renewal areas to inspect the various projects and solve problems while they were still small ones. Following his service to White Plains, Ed became Director of the Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission, and later did consulting until retirement.
Ed was active in the Men's Council of Kol Ami, chaired the Long Range Planning Committee for the White Plains Board of Education, and served as resource advisor the the More Able Student Program of the White Plains Schools. He was an avid photographer, and an enthusiastic participant in the hobby of model railroading, for which he authored dozens of articles in national magazines. Donations may be made in Ed's memory to Congregation Kol Ami of White Plains, The Alzheimer's Association, The Nature Conservancy, or charity of your choice.
Shiva at the family home on Sun. and Mon., 3:00-5:00 and 7:00-9:00 p.m.