Joseph Durst (1882 – 1974) was a Polish‑born American real‑estate developer and the founder of the Durst Organization, a prominent commercial real‑estate company based in New York City.
Early life
Joseph Durst was born in 1882 in the region of Galicia, then part of Austria‑Hungary (present‑day Poland/Ukraine). He emigrated to the United States in 1902, settling in New York City.
Career
Upon arrival, Durst worked as a tailor and later as a salesman for a cloth‑importing firm. In 1915, he entered the real‑estate market by purchasing a ten‑story building at 55 West 86th Street in Manhattan. Over the next several decades, he expanded his holdings, acquiring and developing numerous office and residential properties throughout Manhattan and the broader New York metropolitan area.
In 1915 he incorporated the Durst Organization, which under his leadership grew into one of the city’s leading property firms. He emphasized systematic acquisition, redevelopment, and long‑term ownership, strategies that helped shape mid‑20th‑century Manhattan real‑estate practices.
Personal life and legacy
Durst married Erna Durst; the couple had three children, including Seymour Durst (1913‑1995), who succeeded his father as president of the Durst Organization and further expanded its portfolio. Joseph Durst remained active in the business until his death in 1974.
His legacy persists through the Durst Organization, which continues to develop and manage high‑profile office towers, residential buildings, and mixed‑use projects in New York City, such as the 4 Times Square tower and the 111 West 57th Street "skyscraper‑pencil."
See also
- Durst Organization
- Seymour Durst
References
(Encyclopedic entries are compiled from publicly available biographical and corporate histories; no single source is quoted here.)