Join Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise, for a conversation with a very special guest on this episode of Onward: Larry Silverstein is the founder and chairman of Silverstein Properties, the owner-developer of the World Trade Center, along with a remarkable portfolio of other major properties that have defined New York City life and the Manhattan skyline for decades.

The interview gives us a tour of both Mr. Silverstein’s life and the history of New York, as he recounts his experience investing in a number of influential New York properties. Each acquisition also highlights a different stage in financial history, showcasing a different moment in the country’s and New York’s economic cycle:

  • 711 5th Avenue in 1977.
  • 120 Wall Street in 1980.
  • 7 World Trade Center in 1987.
  • The full World Trade Center complex, which Silverstein Properties acquired just six weeks before the attacks on 9/11/2001.

As Mr. Silverstein tells the story behind the acquisition of each piece of real estate, he imparts investing insights that remain critical to investors today. Those experiences include making the decision to invest during a struggling market — such as when he bought 711 5th Ave., in a declining New York — or the challenges of leasing a million square feet of commercial space — such as when he developed 7 WTC. Ultimately, when Ben asks what advice Mr. Silverstein has for investors today, he recommends, “whatever you do, think long-term” and to invest “in quality.”

Join us for this latest episode of Onward anywhere that you listen to podcasts.