Class of 1955: Larry Silverstein

Larry Silverstein '55 (b. 1933)
Larry Silverstein, Brooklyn Law School Class of 1955, is a New York real-estate developer and founder of Silverstein Properties, whose projects have reshaped large sections of the city’s commercial and residential landscape. In July 2001, he completed the largest real-estate transaction in New York history by signing a 99-year lease on the World Trade Center complex just weeks before the September 11 attacks. In the decades that followed, Silverstein became the central private-sector figure in rebuilding the World Trade Center, a multibillion-dollar redevelopment effort that reshaped Lower Manhattan’s skyline and economic future. Through Silverstein Properties, he has developed, owned, and managed more than 45 million square feet of space across New York City, while remaining active in philanthropy and civic leadership. Brooklyn Law School recognized his career and impact by naming him Alumnus of the Year in 2026.