New York, NY—The Center for Real Estate Studies at New York Law School presents its one-year anniversary breakfast forum with World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein speaking on “Building the Future of Lower Manhattan,” on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 8:15 a.m. at the Law School, located at 47 Worth Street.

 

Larry Silverstein is the President and CEO of Silverstein Properties, Inc., a Manhattan-based real estate development and investment firm that owns, manages, and has developed 20 million square feet of office, residential, and retail space. The firm currently has $9 billion worth of development activity under way. In July 2001, Silverstein completed the largest real estate transaction in New York history when he signed a 99-year lease on the World Trade Center for $3.25 billion, only to see it destroyed in terrorist attacks six weeks later on September 11, 2001. He is currently rebuilding the office component of the World Trade Center site, a $7 billion project.

 

“The redevelopment of the World Trade Center is one of the most challenging and critical real estate projects facing New York City,” said Professor Andrew Berman, Director of the Center for Real Estate Studies. “Not only is the successful redevelopment of the World Trade Center site vital to the future of New York City, but it is also especially important to the New York Law School community given our close proximity. We are honored to celebrate the Center’s one-year anniversary with a breakfast forum featuring Larry Silverstein and his monumental efforts in rebuilding lower Manhattan.”

 

In May 2006, Silverstein Properties opened 7 World Trade Center, a 52-story, 1.7 million-square-foot office tower at 250 Greenwich Street, just north of the World Trade Center site. More than 75% of the building is now leased to a diverse group of tenants. In September 2006, designs were unveiled for three new office towers on the World Trade Center site—200, 175, and 150 Greenwich Street—that will be developed by Silverstein Properties. Construction on the three towers will begin in 2008 with completion planned for 2012.

 

Earlier this year, Silverstein announced an agreement with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to operate a hotel and private residences within a new development at 99 Church Street in downtown Manhattan. The 80-story building is being designed by Robert A.M. Stern and at 912 feet, will be the tallest residential tower in New York.

 

“Larry Silverstein is an industry leader and a real estate developer who has truly shaped New York City in the last few decades,” notes Center for Real Estate Studies Advisory Board member Ross Moskowitz ’84, a partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP (the law firm that represented Silverstein in the historic World Trade Center lease transaction). “As an alumnus of New York Law School, I am thrilled to see students at our Center have access to the thoughts and insights of some of the most important names in real estate today.”

 

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 served as Vice Chairman of the New York University Board of Trustees and is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the New York University Real Estate Institute. As a professor of Real Estate, Silverstein presented the “Silverstein Workshop,” which became one of the most attended and informative educational sources for learning real estate development and investment analysis.

 

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and seating is limited. Register online at the Center for Real Estate Studies or call 212.431.2135. Members of the media may register by contacting LaToya Nelson at lnelson@nyls.edu or 212.431.2191.

 

The breakfast is co-sponsored by the Center for New York City Law at New York Law School and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

 

The Center for Real Estate Studies at New York Law School provides students with a unique educational opportunity to study both the private practice and public regulation of real estate. Leveraging the School’s location in the prime real estate market of New York City, the Center enables students to gain practical experience in the real estate community and make contacts for future employment. Launched in 2007, the Center offers an extensive selection of classroom courses, advanced seminars, and independent study projects, as well as externships in governmental offices and real estate firms. It also sponsors conferences, symposia, and continuing legal education programs on a broad spectrum of issues, including zoning and land use, environmental law, eminent domain, housing, the secondary mortgage market, and nontraditional financings. The Center for Real Estate Studies aims to help bridge the existing gap between the private practice and academic study of real estate, and will become one of the premier research centers in the country for the study of real estate.