Urban Land Institute New York (ULI NY) has announced Larry A. Silverstein, Chairman of Silverstein Properties, Inc., will be the first recipient of the organization’s Visionary Leadership in Land Use Award, which will be presented to Mr. Silverstein on Thursday, April 4, 2019 during ULI NY’s 4^th Annual Awards for Excellence in Development Gala at 583 Park Avenue.

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. Individuals 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 42^nd Street, Larry’s commitment to responsible development is a model for the twenty-first century developer.”

“This honor is in large part a result of my efforts rebuilding the World Trade Center,” said Larry A. Silverstein, Chairman of Silverstein Properties. “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.”

“As an organization we are always looking for ways to inspire the next generation of real estate professionals and Mr. Silverstein’s lifetime of work is an incredible example of what others may aspire to achieve,” said Felix Ciampa, Executive Director of ULI NY. “We are grateful for Mr. Silverstein’s passion and commitment to rebuilding at the World Trade Center site and applaud Silverstein Properties for relentlessly pursuing the highest development standards for their projects that continue to shape and transform the built environment in our city.”

Some of Mr. Silverstein most recent achievements include:

• The rebuilding of 7 World Trade Center, which opened in May of 2006 and was the first LEED certified office building in New York City, as well as the first to be built at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
• 4 World Trade Center, a 72-story 2.3 million square foot building designed by Fumihiko Maki, and home to Spotify, SNY, MediaMath; and 3 World Trade Center, an 80-story, 2.5 million square foot building designed by Richard Rogers and home to GroupM, IEX and other leading companies.
• The LEED Silver certified Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown and Private Residences at 30 Park Place, a finalist for Excellence in Hotel Development at ULI New York’s 2018 Awards for Excellence in Development.
• Silver Towers, two 60-story residential towers at 600 West 42^nd Street, the companion to 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, where he previously served as its Chairman. 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. He is a past Chairman of the Realty Foundation of New York. He is also a founding trustee of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York and serves as a board member of the New York Philharmonic.

Mr. Silverstein 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.

ULI New York’s Awards for Excellence in Development competition recognizes outstanding development projects in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors across New York State that best exemplify ULI’s commitment to responsible land use and creating sustainable, thriving communities.

The Awards competition and Gala, co-chaired this year by Noble Carpenter, President, Capital Markets & Investor Services, Americas Cushman & Wakefield, and John E. Westerfield, Chief Executive Officer of Mitsui Fudosan America Inc., showcases local projects that deserve recognition for raising the bar from a planning, design, sustainability and resilience, and community impact perspective.