United Way of Massachusetts Bay has named Larry Curtis, lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) and president and managing partner of WinnDevelopment, as the 2026 recipient of the Norman B. Leventhal/Edwin N. Sidman Real Estate & Building Industry Leadership Award. The award recognizes leaders whose professional achievement and philanthropic commitment advance lasting community impact.
Curtis was honored on May 11 at a United Way event. He is the 21st recipient of the award.
“Larry’s vision for development across our region has shown how existing properties can be transformed into dynamic, livable communities that expand access to affordable housing,” said Marty Martinez, president and CEO of United Way Massachusetts Bay.
Curtis has led real estate development and acquisition activities for more than three decades, helping grow WinnCompanies from 3,000 units in 1986 to more than 100,000 units today across 22 states and the District of Columbia. His work has focused on affordable housing and historic rehabilitation, advancing projects that integrate design, sustainability, and complex financing.
A licensed architect, Curtis is a national leader in community development and adaptive reuse. He holds degrees from the Cooper Union and the GSD, where he teaches as a lecturer in real estate.
In remarks at the event, Curtis emphasized the role of long-standing partnerships in his work. “My ability to make an impact has come from the people I have met and the trusted relationships we have built together,” he said.
The United Way produced a testimonial video that includes praise for Curtis from Jerold S. Kayden, Frank Backus Williams Professor of Urban Planning and Design and founding director of the Master in Real Estate Program at the GSD.
Curtis serves on the Executive Committee of the National Multifamily Housing Council and is a past president of the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association. He is Trustee Emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and serves on the board of the Worcester Art Museum. He is also co-founder of New Lease, a Boston-based nonprofit connecting families in shelter with affordable housing.
He previously chaired the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and has received numerous honors, including the Paul E. Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts.
Since 1994, the real estate and building industry has raised more than $55 million for United Way of Massachusetts Bay, which works across Greater Boston to advance housing stability, education, and economic opportunity.