Henry H. Minskoff (May 27, 1911 – August 13, 1984) was an American real estate developer.[1][2]

Henry H. Minskoff
BornMay 27, 1911
DiedAugust 13, 1984(1984-08-13) (aged 73)
New York City, New York
NationalityAmerican
Occupationreal estate developer
SpouseMarjorie Folgeman
ChildrenJames Minskoff Sterling
Alan Minskoff
Jean Minskoff Grant
Parent(s)Sam and Esther Minskoff

Biography

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Minskoff was born to a Jewish family in New York City[1] the second of six children of Sam Minskoff and Esther Kernstein Minskoff,[3] immigrants from Russia and Poland, respectively. He had four brothers: Leo, Jerome, Myron and Walter and one sister, Muriel.[1] He grew up in the Bronx.[4] He graduated from Lehigh University and then joined his father's real estate business he had founded in 1908.[1] They went on to build dozens of office buildings, apartment buildings, and shopping malls in Manhattan, Queens, Westchester County, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Detroit including 1 Astor Plaza on Times Square; the MGM Building, the Rolex Building, 250 Broadway, the Brevoort, Brevoort East, 710 Park Avenue, and 1 East 66th Street.[1]

Minskoff was a member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers; was a lecturer on real estate at New York University; served as director and vice chairman of Gemco National Inc., and as a director of both the Sterling National Bank and Trust Company and the Sterling Bancorp.[1]

Philanthropy and boardships

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Minskoff served as president and chairman of the United Home for Aged Hebrews in New Rochelle, New York; and as the director of the Lexington School for the Deaf.[1] He and his wife were founders of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and benefactors of St. Mary's Hospital in Palm Beach, Florida.[1] Minskoff also built the Sam and Esther Minskoff Cultural Center and the Park East Day School in Manhattan.[1] The Minskoff Theatre is named after his father.

Personal life

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On November 17, 1935, Minskoff was married to Marjorie Folgeman;[5] they had three children: James Minskoff Sterling; Alan Minskoff; and Jean Minskoff Grant.[1][3] Services were held at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan.[1] Minskoff Brothers was dissolved and in 2008, descendants of Henry, Jerome and Myron Minskoff filed suits against each other in Manhattan federal court over the company's assets.[3] His son, James, (who changed his last name to Sterling) is married to Carolina Somoza, daughter of former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza Debayle and Hope Portocarrero; and granddaughter of Anastasio Somoza Garcia.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glenn Fowler (August 15, 1984). "Henry H. Minskoff, 73, Head of Major Building Company". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Henry Minskoff Dead at 73". Jewish Telegraph Agency. August 17, 1984.
  3. ^ a b c David Jones (September 12, 2014). "Minskoffs in fight over Brevoort East leasehold - Descendants of famed real estate family battle each other for 20 East 9th St. commercial space". The Real Deal.
  4. ^ 1930 United States Federal Census
  5. ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths Schleifer, Marjorie Minskoff". The New York Times. October 25, 2006.
  6. ^ "Miss Somoza Wed to Dr. J. M. Sterling". The New York Times. October 16, 1984.