Driving Impact at Every Scale: Silverstein Properties’ Vision for New York
- Marty Burger
- Nov 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 30, 2025
Interview with Marty Burger from LEADERS Magazine (October 2016).
Excepts from a LEADERS Magazine Interview with Marty Burger (October 2016):
Building Something That Matters
"When we look back at the journey of Silverstein Properties, the focus has always been on projects that matter — those that reshape neighborhoods, catalyze growth, and leave a lasting mark." As CEO, Marty Burger emphasises that our firm chooses to take on complex undertakings — “very complex, highly impactful projects” that change the urban landscape. (Leaders Magazine)
One such emblematic project is the World Trade Center site. In the interview, Burger highlights that 7 World Trade Center is fully leased; 4 World Trade Center is about 80 % leased, with tenants such as SNY, IEX, Zurich and MediaMath. (Leaders Magazine) The pace of construction is rapid for 3 World Trade Center — it is advancing at roughly one floor per week. (Leaders Magazine)
These numbers matter not just for us — they matter for Lower Manhattan’s resurgence, a signal that global companies continue to invest in the heart of New York.
Strategic Focus: Quality & Neighborhood Transformation
Burger points out that Silverstein does not aim to do every project. Rather, we focus on “very complex, highly impactful projects.” (Leaders Magazine) For us, the size, scale and location matter because these are the projects that have the ability to reshape neighborhoods, enhance infrastructure, and support long-term value.
For example, when discussing the Four Seasons hotel/residential project in downtown Manhattan, Burger highlights architectural beauty, high-end residential sales (80 % sold) and a street-level restaurant partnership with Wolfgang Puck — all of which elevate the neighborhood’s profile. (Leaders Magazine)
This strategic approach reinforces that in today’s real estate market, location excellence plus programmatic vision equals lasting success.
Navigating Challenges & Opportunity
Large-scale, transformative developments inevitably bring operational challenges. Burger notes the key constraint: “our biggest challenge is that our contractors, architects, and engineers are spread too thin.” (Leaders Magazine) For Silverstein, this means adding more oversight and people to each job to ensure successful delivery.
On the affordable-housing front in New York, our viewpoint is pragmatic. As Burger points out, unless state and local government align (for example around the 421-a tax incentive program), the economics of producing large volumes of affordable housing alongside market-rate units are simply not viable under current market conditions. (Leaders Magazine)
This candid recognition of both internal execution constraints and external policy frameworks underscores our disciplined approach to growth.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, our resolve is to continue delivering projects that stand the test of time — architecturally significant, operationally sound, and strategically located. By doing so, we not only build successful assets, but we also foster vibrant city-centers, catalyze economic activity, and support the communities in which we operate.
At Silverstein Properties, our commitment is to excellence — project after project, neighborhood after neighborhood.
“We tend to work on very complex, highly impactful projects. Anything we’re working on is changing a neighborhood.”— Marty Burger (Leaders Magazine)
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