04/03/2026
From our Principal -
There are people in this industry you assume will always be there. Wilbur Breslin was the one. To me, and so many others, he was simply Mr. Long Island.
I grew up seeing the Breslin Realty Development Corp. name on leasing signs, on construction fences, all across Long Island. His name wasn’t just associated with building, it was a synonym. Long Island wasn’t just where he worked, it was his playground, his canvas, his legacy in real time. When I was given the opportunity to earn CREATE's seat at the table, I’ll never forget that moment. Like many, he initially associated the work with my former employer. But Mr. Breslin paid attention. It didn’t take long for him to realize it was me. And once he did, he gave me one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received - he allowed me to be his pencil.
He would retell that story often, introducing me as HIS architect. I remained humbled every time. At 99 years young, that mindset never changed. Two weeks ago, he challenged my elevations, pushing the design, asking the right questions. He wanted to be proud of what he was building.
He would call me Saturdays to talk through projects. Never rushed. Always thoughtful. Conversations moved from design to stories. About the early days, taking chances, partnering with tenants who ran out of money and how he would step in and make it work. He understood what it took to make a center succeed. Who does that? Mr Breslin. He would just as easily pivot to life, asking about family, sharing travel stories, suggesting places I should take my own. There was a generosity to him that went far beyond business. A few years back he requested a meeting, during which he found out it was my birthday. Without skipping a beat a cake showed up within minutes and we celebrated, his entire staff, me and an industry icon.
I opened a town workshop Tuesday, with a story about how adamant he was, that this project be a well-executed design worthy of his name. What I didn’t know until after, he had been admitted to the hospital. But that was indeed Mr. Breslin. Always thinking about the work. Always pushing. Always building.
Through it all, he never slowed down. He never retired to Florida. He never stepped away. He never stopped doing what he loved. He built. He cared. He led. With poise, elegance and a quiet confidence that made you lean in and listen.
I’ve always called him Mr. Long Island. And I will be eternally grateful that he called me his architect. The foundations he believed, pride in your work, attention to detail, long-term thinking, and taking care of people. Those don’t change. They are the reason his legacy will live on in every project, every tenant, every community he touched.
We didn’t just lose a developer. We have lost a builder of places, relationships & opportunities. We have lost one of the very best. I can’t even bring myself to say rest in peace, Mr. Breslin. I would prefer to say Thank you, thank you for everything.
– Your biggest fan, Frankie
