Hofstra Mourns Trustee Emeritus Wilbur F. Breslin

by Ginny Greenberg

The Hofstra University community is deeply saddened by the passing of Wilbur F. Breslin, trustee emeritus, philanthropist, and one of Long Island’s most influential real estate developers.

Mr. Breslin, who died on April 1 at the age of 99, maintained a long-standing and meaningful relationship with Hofstra University, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees for 16 years before being named trustee emeritus. He and his family made generous and transformative contributions to the University that strengthened Hofstra’s academic mission and impact.

In recognition of his philanthropy and leadership, Hofstra named Wilbur and Dorothy Breslin Hall and established the Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies.

The Breslin Center, now part of Hofstra’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law, provides education, research, and professional development opportunities for students and industry leaders, reflecting Mr. Breslin’s commitment to preparing future generations for careers in real estate and public policy.

In 2007 he talked to The Hofstra Chronicle about his motivation in establishing the center: “When I entered the real estate business, there was no place where I could go or call and ask a question, get an answer; it was hit and miss. For the first time, I see an opportunity for someone to be able to go to some place, a place that you can rely on in terms of getting answers that are reputable.”

Mr. Breslin’s entrepreneurial spirit dated back to his youth, when he worked alongside his father in the family’s chain of fruit markets in Hempstead. In 1953, he founded his first real estate office, launching a distinguished career that would establish him as a pioneer in commercial real estate development.

As CEO and chairman of Breslin Realty Development Corp., he played a central role in transforming Long Island’s retail landscape, attracting many of the nation’s leading retail brands to the region and helping shape its economic growth.

A forward-thinking innovator, Mr. Breslin was an early developer of strip shopping centers, a model that evolved into larger retail and mixed-use developments across multiple states. He was also committed to environmental preservation and contributed to efforts that led to the creation of the Long Island Pine Barrens Protection Act of 1993.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Breslin was a dedicated philanthropist whose generosity extended to numerous charitable causes. Through the Breslin Family Foundation, he supported a wide range of not-for-profit organizations across Long Island.

Mr. Breslin is survived by his wife of 73 years, Dorothy; his daughter, Karen Cooper, and son-in-law Steven Hess; his son, Kenneth Breslin (JD, ’86), and daughter-in-law Joy Breslin; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Wilbur F. Breslin’s legacy of leadership, generosity, and service to Hofstra University and the broader community will endure for generations.