Benjamin Winter, Sr.

Benjamin Winter Sr. (February 5, 1881 – June 16, 1944) was a real estate developer in New York City and founder of Winter Incorporated. Winter served as president of the American Federation of Polish Jews.

Biography Born in Łódź, Poland, His father him took on a tour of Manhattan, showing him the lavish Vanderbilt and Astor houses which Winter was to eventually own. After saving for 12 years, in 1912, to buy tenements in lower Manhattan. In 1925, he purchased the Mrs. William B. Astor House and later demolished it; In 1926, Winter had previously purchased and sold the old Temple Emanu-El building at 5th Avenue and 43rd Street which was demolished and replaced in 1927 with a commercial building by its subsequent owner Joseph Durst. Also in 1925, he purchased the William K. Vanderbilt House and demolished it replacing it with a residential high rise. By tearing down the mansions, Winter along with fellow real estate speculator Frederick Brown, were credited with transforming that section of Fifth Avenue into "the aristocrat of shopping thoroughfares." In 1927, he formed Winter Incorporated and offered preferred shares on the New York Stock Exchange which enabled him to raise funds for larger projects. although he recovered most of his wealth by his death in 1944.

He was known for having the ability to identify under-valued properties in up-and-coming neighborhoods, making a purchase, and then selling them later for a tidy profit. His portfolio of prominent properties came to include the Hotel Delmonico, the Stanhope Hotel, the Hotel Lenori, Bretton Hall, the Hotel Claridge, Hotel Hermitage, they had five children. In the 1950s, his son Marvin turned the company from an opportunistic buyer and seller of real estate to a long-term holder. Later, Benjamin's son, David S. Winter, joined the business.