Paul Milstein, the wealthy real estate developer and namesake of the College of Art, Architecture and Planning building currently under construction on the Arts Quad, died at his home on August 9.Milstein made his fortune in Manhattan real estate. His family’s wealth was valued at $3.8 billion as of March. Throughout his career, he built 50,000 apartments, 8,000 hotel rooms and 20 million square feet of office space, according to Forbes.Milstein’s projects included luxury towers near Lincoln Center and some of the first buildings in Battery Park City, according to The New York Times. He is often credited with sparking the revitalization of Times Square.“We live in a jungle,” Paul Milstein said in an interview in 1981, according to The Times. “In order to survive in a jungle, I guess you’ve got to be tougher to be a winner. My competitors, my adversaries and my friends really can’t say, ‘I’m tough.’ They don’t understand the word tough.”Milstein Hall was funded by a $10 million dollar donation provided by Milstein’s wife, Irma, in 1999.The Milsteins sent two of their four children to Cornell, and several of their grandchildren also attended the University. Milstein’s son, Howard Milstein ’73, is also a Cornell Trustee.“Our hearts and thoughts are with the Milstein family during this very difficult time,” President David Skorton said in a statement earlier this month. “The Milsteins are among the University’s most dedicated leaders and generous benefactors. Cornell would not be the same institution it is today without their engagement and support,” he added.Milstein Hall, which will feature studio, classroom and gallery space, is scheduled to be completed in fall 2011.
Original Author: Michael Linhorst