Highgrove Apartments Contract Terminated

BOSTON, Jan. 27, 2016 -- Winthrop Realty Trust (NYSE:FUR) ("Winthrop") announced today that the contract to sell the apartment building located in Stamford, Connecticut owned by a venture in which Winthrop holds an 83.7% interest has been terminated in accordance with its terms. Pursuant to the terms of the contract, the venture retained the $5,000,000 deposit as the venture was ready, willing and able to close on the closing date. In light of the termination of the contract, the property will be re-marketed for sale.

About Winthrop Realty Trust

Winthrop, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, is a NYSE-listed real estate investment trust (REIT). Winthrop's shareholders have adopted a plan of liquidation pursuant to which Winthrop is liquidating and winding down and, in connection therewith, is seeking to sell its assets in an orderly fashion to maximize shareholder value. For more information, please visit our web-site at www.winthropreit.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. With the exception of the historical information contained in this news release, the matters described herein contain "forward-looking" statements that involve risk and uncertainties that may individually or collectively impact the matters herein described. These are detailed from time to time in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's SEC reports. Further information relating to the Company's financial position, results of operations, and investor information is contained in the Company's annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC and available for download at its website www.winthropreit.com or at the SEC website www.sec.gov.

CONTACT: Winthrop Realty Trust
         Carolyn Tiffany
         Investor or Media Inquiries
         Phone: (617) 570-4614; e-mail: [email protected]