David Durst, who developed Manhattan skyscrapers such as 655 Third Avenue and 114 West 47th Street, has died at the age of 90.
Durst was the youngest of five children to Joseph Durst, the founder of the Durst Organization. According to the New York Times, he died last Friday in Rye, New York.
During his career, which stretched across three decades, Durst had a hand in the construction of eight Manhattan towers.
He was also one of the first developers to integrate public art into an office tower. He commissioned “Windward” by Jan Peter Stern to be placed in front of 655 Third Avenue.
Durst was born in Mount Vernon, New York, in May 19, 1925. At the time of his birth, his father, a Polish immigrant who made his fortune as a partner in the Durst & Rubin dress manufacturing business, was starting to assemble a real estate portfolio. Joseph Durst bought his first building, the Century Building at West 34th Street, in 1915.
During his career as a developer, David Durst specialized in construction and design.
Outside of his work, he followed artistic pursuits, such as sculpture and photography.
He is survived by his second wife Carola, his daughters Laurel and Robin, his sons Josh, Kristoffer and Jody (now the president of the Durst Organization) and nine grandchildren.
