By ULI | Urban Land Institute New York
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN LAND USE AWARD
Urban Land Institute New York is proud to honor Larry A. Silverstein, Chairman of Silverstein Properties, Inc., with the organization’s first-ever Visionary Leadership in Land Use Award.
“This honor is in large part a result of my efforts rebuilding the World Trade Center,” said Larry A. Silverstein. “It has certainly been the passion of my life. But it has been a collective effort involving thousands of people. Many members of the Urban Land Institute, and others in our industry, put their hearts and souls into the rebuilding effort. We have all been driven – not by ego or personal agendas – but by our unshakeable love for New York and by the need to respond in a way that would make everyone proud.”
The Award recognizes a leader within New York’s real estate community whose body of work exemplifies the mission and values of ULI, and who has had a transformational impact on our region and the industry. The recipient must also have demonstrated an enduring commitment—through civic engagement—to industry associations, causes and initiatives.
“Larry Silverstein exemplifies the values this award represents, and I am thrilled we are able to honor him as the first recipient,” said Steven Kohn, Chairman of ULI NY. “From his perseverance in rebuilding the World Trade Center site and helping spearhead the revitalization of Lower Manhattan, to pioneering sustainability in commercial office buildings, to developing state of the art residential buildings on West 42nd Street, Larry’s commitment to responsible development is a model for the twenty-first century developer.”
Join us in honoring Larry A. Silverstein at our Awards for Excellence in Development Gala on April 4, 2019!
ABOUT LARRY
Larry A. Silverstein is the Chairman of Silverstein Properties, Inc., a Manhattan based real estate development and investment firm that has developed, owned and managed 40 million square feet of office, residential, hotel and retail space. The firm currently has $10 billion worth of development activity underway and has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in New York City” by Crain’s New York Business for eight years in a row.
In July 2001, Mr. Silverstein completed the largest real estate transaction in New York history when he signed a 99-year lease on the 10.6 million square feet World Trade Center for $3.25 billion, only to see it destroyed in terrorist attacks six weeks later on September 11, 2001. He has spent the last 17 years rebuilding the office component of the World Trade Center site, a $30 billion project that will consume the balance of his working life.
In May 2006, Silverstein Properties opened 7 World Trade Center, the first office tower to be rebuilt at the site, and the first LEED-certified office building in New York City. The 52-story, 1.7 million square foot office tower is fully leased to an eclectic group of tenants. In November 2013, the company opened 4 World Trade Center, a 72-story 2.3 million square foot building designed by Fumihiko Maki. In June 2018, the company opened 3 World Trade Center, an 80-story, 2.5 million square foot building designed by Richard Rogers. The company is developing one other office tower on the WTC site – 2 World Trade Center (designed by Bjarke Ingels).
Silverstein Properties recently completed and opened a Four Seasons hotel and private residences designed by Robert A. M. Stern in Lower Manhattan which, at 82-stories, is one of the tallest residential towers in New York. The company recently completed and opened the largest Four Seasons resort in the world at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Mr. Silverstein owns and manages many successful and high-profile commercial and residential properties in New York City, including 120 Broadway, 120 Wall Street, 529 Fifth Avenue and 1177 Avenue of the Americas. Mr. Silverstein recently completed and opened Silver Towers, two 60-story residential towers at 600 West 42nd Street, the companion to 1 River Place, a 40-story, 921-unit tower which opened in 2000. The square block development houses over 2,200 families.
Mr. Silverstein is a member of the New York Bar and a Governor of the Real Estate Board of New York, having served as its Chairman. He has served as Chairman of the Realty Foundation of New York.
A 1952 graduate of New York University, Mr. Silverstein served as Vice Chairman of the NYU Board of Trustees, where he continues to serve as member of the Board of Trustees of the New York University Langone Medical Center. He is the Founder and Chairman emeritus of the advisory board of the NYU Real Estate Institute. As a Professor of Real Estate, his “Silverstein Workshop” became one of the most attended and informative educational sources for learning real estate development and investment analysis.
Mr. Silverstein donates his time and resources to support many philanthropic endeavors. He has served as Chairman of the Board of UJA-Federation. He is a founding trustee of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York and has served as treasurer of National Jewish Health in Denver.
Mr. Silverstein contributes his time and resources to organizations that are dedicated to higher education and medical research, meeting humanitarian needs and supporting the arts. Mr. Silverstein currently serves as a board member of the New York Philharmonic. He is a classical music enthusiast, a passionate yachtsman and a dedicated New Yorker. Larry and Klara Silverstein have been married for 62 years and have three children and one son-in-law, three of whom are executives at Silverstein Properties, and they also have eight grandchildren.