Abraham Lefcourt

1877 (age 55)

All but forgotten today, in his lifetime Lefcourt was known as one of the city"s most prolific developers of Art Deco buildings. Describing Lefcourt in a 1930 newspaper article, The New York Times said, "Number other individual or building organization has constructed in its own behalf as many buildings as are in the Lefcourt Group." His family immigrated to New York"s Lower East Side in 1882 where Lefcourt grew-up in a predominantly Jewish and poor community. Lefcourt began his career as a newsboy and bootblack. He became a prominent figure in the New York garment industry when he assumed control of his employer"s wholesale business. His forays into real-estate began in 1910 with a 12-story loft on West 25th Street. He built many more structures in the area, heralding the beginnings of the new Garment Center. An entrepreneur, Lefcourt had numerous other business interests, including founding Lefcourt Normandie National Bank, which eventually became a part of Justice of the Peace Morgan Chase. Notwithstanding his success and a Netto worth reported to have been as much as $100 million in 1928, Lefcourt"s empire began to unravel during the Depression, with his company going into foreclosure and his buildings being auctioned official In 1932, with creditors pursuing him and others accusing him of fraud, Lefcourt suffered a heart attack in his Savoy-Plaza Hotel apartment and died at the age of 55. Among Lefcourt"s more notable real estate development projects: Brill Building, 1619 Broadway, New York, New York Lefcourt Building/Raymond Commerce Building, 1172-1182 Raymond Boulevard, Newark, New Jersey Lefcourt Clothing Center, 275 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York Lefcourt Colonial Building, 295 Madison Avenue, New York, New York Lefcourt Empire Building, 989 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York Lefcourt Madison Building, 16 East 34th Street, New York, New York Lefcourt Manhattan Building, 1412 Broadway, New York, New York Lefcourt National Building, 521 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon Lefcourt Normandie Building, 1384 Broadway, New York, New York Lefcourt State Building, 1375 Broadway, New York, New New York

Abraham Lefcourt

Edit Profile

Background

Lefcourts was born Abraham Elias Lefkowitz March 27, 1876 to Russian-Jewish immigrants in Birmingham, England.

Career

All but forgotten today, in his lifetime Lefcourt was known as one of the city"s most prolific developers of Art Deco buildings. Describing Lefcourt in a 1930 newspaper article, The New York Times said, "Number other individual or building organization has constructed in its own behalf as many buildings as are in the Lefcourt Group."

His family immigrated to New York"s Lower East Side in 1882 where Lefcourt grew-up in a predominantly Jewish and poor community. Lefcourt began his career as a newsboy and bootblack.

He became a prominent figure in the New York garment industry when he assumed control of his employer"s wholesale business.

His forays into real-estate began in 1910 with a 12-story loft on West 25th Street. He built many more structures in the area, heralding the beginnings of the new Garment Center.

An entrepreneur, Lefcourt had numerous other business interests, including founding Lefcourt Normandie National Bank, which eventually became a part of Justice of the Peace Morgan Chase. Notwithstanding his success and a Netto worth reported to have been as much as $100 million in 1928, Lefcourt"s empire began to unravel during the Depression, with his company going into foreclosure and his buildings being auctioned official

In 1932, with creditors pursuing him and others accusing him of fraud, Lefcourt suffered a heart attack in his Savoy-Plaza Hotel apartment and died at the age of 55.

Among Lefcourt"s more notable real estate development projects:

Brill Building, 1619 Broadway, New York, New York

Lefcourt Building/Raymond Commerce Building, 1172-1182 Raymond Boulevard, Newark, New Jersey

Lefcourt Clothing Center, 275 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York

Lefcourt Colonial Building, 295 Madison Avenue, New York, New York

Lefcourt Empire Building, 989 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York

Lefcourt Madison Building, 16 East 34th Street, New York, New York

Lefcourt Manhattan Building, 1412 Broadway, New York, New York

Lefcourt National Building, 521 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon

Lefcourt Normandie Building, 1384 Broadway, New York, New York

Lefcourt State Building, 1375 Broadway, New York, New New York

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Abraham Lefcourt

Background

Career

Born

Died

Nationality