Nutter loses another top aide

Andrew Altman, Mayor Nutter's chief planning official, is leaving his job at the end of June to head an effort to revitalize London after the 2012 Olympics.

Mayor Nutter announced the deputy mayor's departure at a City Hall news conference this morning, with a "tremendous amount of pride and regret."

With most of the administration's top aides in attendance, the mayor continued, "I think everyone will recognize this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Andy and his family.. . . I imagine when London is calling it is difficult to turn that call down."

Altman is the fourth - and highest ranking - member of Nutter's administration to step down since Januray 2008.

The mayor said little about who will succeed Altman and did not name an interim official.

Altman informed Nutter of his decision during the Memorial Day weekend, at a meeting at Del Frisco's steakhouse in Center City.

He began his job here 16 months ago as Commerce Director and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Before that, he worked in New York and Washington.

"I came back because of the mayor's vision, integrity and passion for the city," said Altman, who grew up in Philadelphia and whose mother still lives here. "It's just been a thrill. I can't thank you enough."

Still, Altman was dogged for months by rumors that he was leaving for one job or another, as Altman acknowledged this morning. "I was never leaving. I love it here," he said.

He said a search firm contacted him about the position about two months ago.

In London, his new title will be chief executive officer of a quasi-government agency named the Olympic Park Legacy Company.

He will oversee a 500-acre site on which Olympic facilites will be built, with a specific focus on a longer-term use for those facilities when the games end.

"Essentially, it's my job to build a city within a city," Altman said.

Nutter's senior aides greeted the news with disappointment, and hope - for tickets to the 2012 games.

"We're all putting our order in," said communications director Tricia Enright.