Robert Tishman
Encyclopedia
Robert Valentine Tishman (April 7, 1916 – October 11, 2010) was an American real estate developer who had been head of the family-owned firm Tishman Realty and Construction until it was disestablished in 1977, and was one of the two founding partners of Tishman Speyer, which was formed in 1978 and became one of the largest owners and builders of office buildings in the United States.
Tishman was born on April 7, 1916, in Manhattan. His father David headed Tishman Realty and Construction, a firm established by Robert's grandfather Julius Tishman in 1898 with the construction of a six-story tenement building on the Lower East Side
that was built using the proceeds of his department store in Upstate New York. He attended the Horace Mann School
and earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University
in 1937, where he was elected to the Sphinx Head
honor society and was the editor of the Cornell Widow, and also attended Columbia Law School
. He was married in June 1941 to the former Phyllis Gordon, who had attended Wellesley College and the New York University School of Law
, in a ceremony held at the Lombardy Hotel
and officiated by Rabbi Nathan A. Perilman of Temple Emanu-El. During World War II
, Tishman served in the United States Navy
in the Pacific Ocean
.
After completing his military service, he went back to work with the family business. During the 1960s and 1970s, Tishman was president and chief executive officer of Tishman Realty and Construction, where he oversaw building projects that included Madison Square Garden
, the World Trade Center
and the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue
. Expanding outside of New York City
, the firm's projects included the Century Plaza Towers
in Los Angeles
commissioned by Alcoa
, the John Hancock Tower
in Chicago
and Detroit's Renaissance Center
. In a 1968 interview with Business Week magazine, Tishman described the company as "an intercompany conglomerate" that could identify building sites and help in all phases of design, financing and construction, offering "capabilities that no other owner-builder or general contractor matches".
The original firm was liquidated in 1977, and he established Tishman Speyer the following year together with his son-in-law Jerry Speyer
, as the firm's founding chairman. The firm went on to develop more than 300 building projects around the world, including the Torre Norte
skyscraper in São Paulo
, Brazil
, as well as the Equitable Center
on Seventh Avenue
in New York and the Sony Center
at Potsdamer Platz
in Berlin
. Included in the 166000000 square feet (15,421,904.6 m²) of commercial property owned and managed by the firm are the landmark properties in New York, the Chrysler Building
and Rockefeller Center
. At the time of his death, Tishman Speyer was working as construction manager of a building at 510 Madison Avenue and was project manager of One World Trade Center, the building formerly known as the Freedom Tower that will become the tallest structure in the city upon its completion. In his obituary in The New York Times
, Speyer recounted how Tishman would come to work each day in the firm's offices until two years before his death.
Tishman served as Chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York from 1966 to 1979, having been a member of the organization for 52 years. He was Chairman, and then Honorary Chairman, of Montefiore Medical Center
in the Bronx, Associate Chairman and Charter Trustee of the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission
, a member of the Real Estate Advisory Committee of Cornell University, a member of the Board of Directors of Boys and Girls Harbor
, Director of the Citizen's Housing and Planning Council, and was an Honorary Director of the Grand Street Settlement
.
Tishman died at the age of 94 on October 11, 2010, at his home in Manhattan. He is survived by his two daughters, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. His wife had died in July 1985.
Tishman was born on April 7, 1916, in Manhattan. His father David headed Tishman Realty and Construction, a firm established by Robert's grandfather Julius Tishman in 1898 with the construction of a six-story tenement building on the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
that was built using the proceeds of his department store in Upstate New York. He attended the Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
and earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1937, where he was elected to the Sphinx Head
Sphinx Head
The Sphinx Head Society is the oldest senior honor society at Cornell University. Sphinx Head recognizes Cornell senior men and women who have demonstrated respectable strength of character on top of a dedication to leadership and service at Cornell University...
honor society and was the editor of the Cornell Widow, and also attended Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
. He was married in June 1941 to the former Phyllis Gordon, who had attended Wellesley College and the New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, in a ceremony held at the Lombardy Hotel
Lombardy Hotel
The Lombardy Hotel located at 111 East 56th Street The Lombardy Hotel located at 111 East 56th Street The Lombardy Hotel located at 111 East 56th Street (between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue in New York City. Built in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst for his mistress, silent film star...
and officiated by Rabbi Nathan A. Perilman of Temple Emanu-El. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Tishman served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
After completing his military service, he went back to work with the family business. During the 1960s and 1970s, Tishman was president and chief executive officer of Tishman Realty and Construction, where he oversaw building projects that included Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
and the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue
666 Fifth Avenue
666 Fifth Avenue is a 41-story office building on Fifth Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets in New York City.-Tishman ownership:The Tishman family via Tishman Realty and Construction built the tower in 1957. It was designed by Carson & Lundin and the building was called the Tishman Building...
. Expanding outside of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the firm's projects included the Century Plaza Towers
Century Plaza Towers
Century Plaza Towers are two 44-story, twin towers located at 2029 and 2049 Century Park East in Century City in Los Angeles, California.Commissioned by Alcoa, the towers were designed by Minoru Yamasaki and completed in 1975. The towers resemble Yamasaki's World Trade Center in their vertical...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
commissioned by Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
, the John Hancock Tower
John Hancock Tower
The John Hancock Tower, officially named Hancock Place and colloquially known as The Hancock, is a 60-story, 790-foot skyscraper in Boston. The tower was designed by Henry N. Cobb of the firm I. M. Pei & Partners and was completed in 1976...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Detroit's Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
. In a 1968 interview with Business Week magazine, Tishman described the company as "an intercompany conglomerate" that could identify building sites and help in all phases of design, financing and construction, offering "capabilities that no other owner-builder or general contractor matches".
The original firm was liquidated in 1977, and he established Tishman Speyer the following year together with his son-in-law Jerry Speyer
Jerry Speyer
Jerry I. Speyer is an American real estate tycoon. He is one of two founding partners of the prominent New York real estate company Tishman Speyer...
, as the firm's founding chairman. The firm went on to develop more than 300 building projects around the world, including the Torre Norte
Torre Norte
Torre Norte is a skyscraper in São Paulo, Brazil. It is part of the Centro Empresarial Nações Unidas, located by the Pinheiros river at the Avenida das Nações Unidas. Its construction began in 1999 and was completed in 2000. Its 158 meters , 42 floors house the offices of several multinational...
skyscraper in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, as well as the Equitable Center
AXA Center
The AXA Equitable Center is a 752-foot -tall skyscraper located in New York City....
on Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
in New York and the Sony Center
Sony Center
The Sony Center is a Sony-sponsored building complex located at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany. It opened in 2000.-History:The site was originally a bustling city centre in the early 20th century. Most of the buildings were destroyed or damaged during World War II...
at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about one kilometre south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Included in the 166000000 square feet (15,421,904.6 m²) of commercial property owned and managed by the firm are the landmark properties in New York, the Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco style skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan in the Turtle Bay area at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at , it was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State...
and Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
. At the time of his death, Tishman Speyer was working as construction manager of a building at 510 Madison Avenue and was project manager of One World Trade Center, the building formerly known as the Freedom Tower that will become the tallest structure in the city upon its completion. In his obituary in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Speyer recounted how Tishman would come to work each day in the firm's offices until two years before his death.
Tishman served as Chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York from 1966 to 1979, having been a member of the organization for 52 years. He was Chairman, and then Honorary Chairman, of Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore Medical Center, in the Bronx, New York, is the University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The hospital, named for Moses Montefiore, is one of the 50 largest employers in New York State . In 2011, Montefiore Medical Center was ranked as #6 of the 180 New York City...
in the Bronx, Associate Chairman and Charter Trustee of the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission
Citizens Budget Commission
The Citizens Budget Commission is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization that attempts to influence constructive change in the finances and services of New York City and New York State government.-History:...
, a member of the Real Estate Advisory Committee of Cornell University, a member of the Board of Directors of Boys and Girls Harbor
Boys and Girls Harbor
Boys and Girls Harbor is an educational organization. The Charter school and its various other recreational and guidance programs are located in East and Central Harlem, New York, USA...
, Director of the Citizen's Housing and Planning Council, and was an Honorary Director of the Grand Street Settlement
Grand Street Settlement
Grand Street Settlement is an historic social service institution on the Lower East Side in New York City and was founded in 1916 in response to the needs of waves of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe who were settling in the area...
.
Tishman died at the age of 94 on October 11, 2010, at his home in Manhattan. He is survived by his two daughters, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. His wife had died in July 1985.