She has been influential in improving services for property owners and the building community. Also, after the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, she has worked towards revising the Building Code to enhance building performance in tragic situations.
Under Lancaster’s leadership, the agency is powered by a professional team of architects, engineers, inspectors, and experts who work together to continually enhance the quality of the agency’s services and enforcement. She said, “Five years later, I am proud to say that I see a team of individuals who are passionate about New York City's buildings and dedicated to safety. I see people taking the initiative to streamline the processes of their own units, and I see inspectors, architects, and experts working together to protect the public from dangers they can't always see.”
Prior to becoming commissioner, Lancaster owned and operated her own firm, the Lancaster Group, which offered owners representation, program management, and project management for capital design and construction portfolios and projects, primarily for not-for-profit organizations.
Lancaster also served as vice president of LCOR, Inc., a real estate company, and was in charge of public/private development for the Northeast region, with a portfolio of more than $2 billion in projects. She also worked as assistant vice president for the Department of Planning, Design, and Construction at Columbia University, where she managed and led a five-year, $850 million program.
She further proved her competence when she had to manage a staff of 600 people and an annual construction budget of $600 million as deputy commissioner for design and construction under former mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In addition to being a registered architect, Lancaster is a licensed real estate broker, a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, a fellow of the Institute for Urban Design, and a fellow of The American Institute of Architects.
Lancaster is the author of Construction in Cities: Social, Environmental, Political, and Economic Concerns. Her passion for buildings and dedication to safety has won her many awards. Lancaster was named “Woman of the Year” by the Associated Builders and Owners. In 2000, Real Estate Weekly named her one of the top 100 women in real estate, and in 1996, Professional Women in Construction (PWC) named her its “Woman of the Year.”
Lancaster does her job well and is committed, as a leader, to the city’s development. She said, “As we forge ahead, we will work to enhance our enforcement efforts, improve the quality of our services, and further our mission to ensure the safe and lawful use of all of New York City's 950,000 buildings and properties.”
