Edward J. Logue

Edward Joseph Logue (February 7, 1921 – January 27, 2000) was an American urban planner and public administrator who worked in New Haven, Boston, and New York State. Commentators often compare Logue with Robert Moses - both were advocates of large-scale urban renewal in the United States from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Logue headed the New Haven Redevelopment Agency, Boston Redevelopment Authority, New York State Urban Development Corporation, and the South Bronx Development Organization. Logue is best known for overseeing major public works projects, such as Faneuil Hall-Quincy Market and Government Center in Boston, and the re-development of Roosevelt Island in New York City.

Logue was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1967 Boston mayoral election.

Early life, education, and career Logue was born on February 7, 1921, to Edward J. Logue and Resina Fay Logue in Philadelphia. He attended Yale University, graduating in 1942, and served as a lieutenant in the United States Air Force during World War II. For his service in the war, Logue was awarded an Air Medal with clusters. After the war, he found work for Chester Bowles, the governor of Connecticut, as a legal secretary.

Head of the New Haven Redevelopment Agency (1954–1960) Logue worked as development administrator for New Haven, Connecticut, from 1954 to 1960. As head of the BRA, Logue sought to develop a "New Boston". One of the agency's major projects was a housing development in South End, known as Castle Square. They also oversaw construction of the Government Center, redevelopment of the Prudential Center as well as the cities waterfront. While Logue was at the BRA, the Faneuil Hall-Quincy Market redevelopment was planned, though it was not completed until 1976. He remained at the BRA until 1967, when Logue resigned to run an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Boston.

1967 Boston mayoral candidacy

Logue ran for mayor of Boston in 1967, but failed to advance past the nonpartisan primary election. Logue ran as Collins' preferred successor.

A first time candidate for public office, Logue claimed to have declined urban renewal positions in New York and Washington, D.C., in order to instead run out of a love for the city of Boston. A non-native to Boston, he was disparaged by opponents as an "intruder". It was claimed in an article published by The Reporter that many of his opponents had privately expressed that Logue was the best-qualified candidate.

Logue ultimately place fourth in the primary, well behind White and Hicks (who placed first and second, respectively) and only 53-votes behind third-place finisher John W. Sears

Head of the New York State Urban Development Corporation (1968–1975) Logue left Boston to head the new New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) from 1968 to 1975 that was created by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. During his tenure, the organization undertook projects at a quick pace. The organization largely forwent the processes of underwriting and due diligence that private projects typically had to undergo in order to ensure that revenue can be generated sufficient for long-term financing and operations. The agency anticipated that it would be able to rely upon continued federal government funding that would allow for it to sustain its finances. In 1975, the UDC defaulted on its debts (going bankrupt) in 1975 as consequence of factors that included a Nixon administration restructuring of housing programs, rising interest rates, and declining confidence of investors in the ability of the agency to pay back bonds. Logue resigned from the UDC after it went bankrupt. The area had been negatively impacted, in part, by an oversaturation of housing that resulted from the construction by the UDC of an excessive amount of new subsidized housing at a time when the borough's population was actively declining. During this period he initiated work that would vastly improve the area. The New York Times in a March 1987 Metro Matters column called Charlotte Street “a metaphor for urban renaissance.” President Bill Clinton, upon visiting Charlotte Street in 1997, declared the South Bronx to be a model for inner-city renewal.

Later life Logue died on January 27, 2000, in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. The mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino said of him: "Ed Logue was a guy who reinvented Boston".

Electoral history 1967 Boston mayoral electionCandidatesPrimary election General election Votes%Votes% Kevin White 30,789 19.83 102,706 53.25 Louise Day Hicks 43,722 28.16 90,154 46.75 John W. Sears 23,924 15.41 Edward J. Logue 23,766 15.31 Christopher A. Iannella 18,343 11.82 Stephen Davenport 9,016 5.81 Nicholas Abraham 2,295 1.48 Albert L. O'Neil 1,471 0.95 Peter F. Hines 1,091 0.70 John J. McDonough 830 0.54