One quarter to his widow, in a "marital trust" that would pay her interest until her death and give her the power to "appoint" the ultimate heirs to the principal; if she did not exercise this power, the principal would pass to the Cafritzes' sons upon her death. That's why her final victory rather delighted me. D.C. developer, businessman and philanthropist Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of real estate icon Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn, died Thursday at Sibley Memorial Hospital. But it was a heady enough wine to call out 300 guests, and the ghosts of many more who had preceded them. "Lots of times she could drink and she knew exactly what she was doing. "She wanted something, and she put up with a lot of {expletive}, and she got it. Click here for full story from WTOP and the Washington Business Journal. He never tired of committing himself to this mission, which only grew bigger with time. In 1962, when it was the product of Morris Cafritz's vision, the largest grants went to the United Jewish Appeal and the Community Chest Federation. In plain English, Gwendolyn Cafritz's two younger sons are contending in court that their mother was too feebleminded to write her will; document requests filed in court suggest they may try to prove she was incapacitated by alcoholism. His most notable contribution was in the streamlined art deco apartment houses designed, either singly or together, by architects Alvin L. Aubinoe and Harry L. Edwards, including the Majestic, the Hightowers, the Empire and the since-demolished Gwenwood on 19th Street NW. Cafritz started by investing in real estate, and was always ready to make a prescient purchase, but his true passion was construction. "I used to call up the house and get her maid, and her maid would talk to me about her, and say that she was completely worn out and simply couldn't get up and get herself ready to go on the warpath," says socialite Polly Logan. The foundation, among Greater Washingtons largest with more than $400 million in assets and some $65 million in annual revenue and expenses, according to its most recent Form 990, is expected to issue a formal statement in the coming days. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Rogers, an attorney general under President Eisenhower and secretary of state under Richard Nixon, declined to be interviewed for this story; he has denied the allegations in papers filed in court. The house on Foxhall Road, completed in 1938, was explicitly designed to fulfill that ambition. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in December 1988 and since February 1989 had served as Board Chairman. Except for minor bequests to former employees and other family members, she also left to the foundation all of the property she owned outright. Calvins father Morris built the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel at 14. and K Streets NW, homes next to the National Arboretum, the Greenwich Forest neighborhood in Bethesda and several office buildings downtown. Perhaps as a result, he works hard, with much of Morris's old drive. In 2021 alone some 430 grants were given to 413 nonprofits of all sizes, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington National Opera (through the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera program), the Phillips Collection, the National Gallery of Art, and countless colleges, universities,and schools throughout the DC area. "I've just bought 100 acres of downtown Washington," he was fond of saying. Would you like to offer Calvin Cafritzs loved ones a condolence message? Baron and Baroness Constantine Stackelberg . What do the younger sons of the celebrated Washington hostess hope to gain by waging legal war over their mother's will? None of the Cafritz sons can be said to need the money that is at stake. G Guest 4 hours ago Comment Share T The staff at Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care Inc a day ago We plant this tree as a living memorial to Calvin. ", She kept up appearances even in the privacy of her home, where she drank Scotch from a decanter in the living room. Recognizably brothers, the youngest of them nearing his fifties, they were a striking presence at the party. He was an excellent listener and always got both the big picture and important details by asking insightful questions. Certainly it is Conrad who seems to embody, in one slight frame, the polarities of his parents' lives and personalities. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. "He's always very, very protective of the Cafritz name, as if it were his own. She has pressured the Smithsonian to increase the number of minorities in high-ranking positions and has been arrested outside the South African Embassy as a leader of Mother's Day protests there. Marvin LaVerne Katz, 83, of Dallas, Texas, passed away on November 22, 2019 in Dallas. Decedent lacked sufficient capacity to, and did not, dispose of her property with judgment and understanding, considering the nature, character and extent of her estate.". In Remembrance. All three had become local real estate developers, successful, if less spectacular, emulators of their father. All of their lives, the Cafritz boys have been aware of their status as the sons of Morris and Gwendolyn. Irene Bloch, as she is called, is a wealthy department store owner's wife who mounts a relentless campaign for acceptance in Washington society. Morris Cafritz is remembered more for the quantity than for the aesthetic quality of his works. "She was not, as they say, invited anywhere at the beginning," recalls Gore Vidal, whose novel Washington, D.C. includes a character "suggested," he says, by Gwendolyn Cafritz. Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. Cafritz developed real estate here for more than four decades, until his death in 1964, and by the sheer volume and variety of his building activities was for a time the undisputed king of his field. In the '50s, Cafritz had an early conviction that the future direction of downtown Washington was along the K Street corridor, and before his death in 1964 he built a dozen buildings in the "new" downtown, mostly on K and I streets NW. He was for years the president of the Jewish Community Center and donated the land for its first headquarters on Q Street NW. When he died, his estate was the largest ever probated in the District of Columbia. He was 91. When the Duke and Duchess of Windsor came and danced downstairs in "the Club," with the dance floor lighted from below. The Cafritz Foundation was one of the biggest in the D.C. area, with over $400 million in assets and around $65 million in annual revenue and expenses, according to The Washington Business Journal. Of the three sons, Calvin seems to have had the best relationship with his mother. Calvin Cafritz, their eldest son, became Board Chairman in 1989 and in 1993, he was elected President and CEO of the Foundation. Conrad and Carter Cafritz are claiming that Rogers and Atlas "secured domination and control" over Gwendolyn, controlling all of her assets and making her the figurehead president of both the foundation and the real estate businesses, "notwithstanding that she was, and Defendants Atlas and Rogers knew she was, incapable of discharging the duties incumbent upon her in such positions." He was 91. In any case, he was at least 20 years older than his bride when they married in 1929. Home She could no longer make an entrance, of course. Cafritz was a native and longtime resident of Washington, DC. Calvins brother Carter passed away in 2019. Michael J. Dowling, who became the Cafritzes' butler in the early '60s, describes a tragically common decline. But maybe they just don't want Gwen Cafritz to have the last word. He was 91. Morris had one vision, and Gwendolyn another; whoever now gains control might offer still a third. Throughout his career he was recognized not only for his natural intuitive insight but also for his in-depth study and acute analysis of every possibility for investment in real estate. Was believed to be 102. . recalls Raymond Carter, a former vice president of the Cafritz Co. "He always had a new job going. The holdings also include a major share of the two Universal buildings at Connecticut and Florida avenues NW, and shares of the massive River House apartment buildings in Pentagon City. Throughout the '40s and '50s it was her custom to give a large cocktail reception each spring, and to mark the opening of every fall season with a party honoring the start of the Supreme Court term. This suit asks the court to overturn her will, after which, under D.C. law, her property would be divided among her sons. Conrad's strategy has been diversity. Between 1925 and 1941, Cafritz built more than 85 apartment houses, including 15 large luxury buildings, such as the Majestic and the Hightowers on 16th Street NW and the Westchester on Cathedral Avenue NW. Obituary. "I make no other provision in this will for the benefit of my children," it states, "as their financial needs are adequately provided for" by the old agreement giving them $7 million each. The daughter of a Hungarian immunologist who had a role in devising the early Wasserman test to detect syphilis, Gwen Cafritz was the opposite of her husband. The India-born founder and CEO of District-based software company Hunch Analytics is an active benefactor of both Washington and Indian causes and nonprofit groups. She was 78 years old. There was no one she would not invite to dinner, sometimes calling the offices of Cabinet secretaries to ask for any day in the next year when the secretary would be free. There is, for example, the very palpable legacy of real estate developed by Morris Cafritz, including several lots and office buildings downtown. . But like all wills, the one now known in probate court as 3035-88 offers more than one legacy, and thus more than one motive. The trust was established at the death of Morris Cafritz in June 1964 in the interests of saving estate taxes. In the '70s she became a near-recluse. There are, superficially, great similarities among the three brothers, who all share their mother's dark coloring. The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the charitable organization Calvin Cafritz had led since 1989, confirmed his passing and provided a copy of his obituary, which didnt disclose cause of death. Conrad has six children -- three adopted sons, who were Jennifer's by a first marriage; two daughters with Jennifer; and, with Peggy, 5-year-old Zachary. . "The decanter always had to be full," Dowling says. The family observed Jewish holidays, and the sons attended religious school at Washington Hebrew Congregation on weekends. Some observers speculate that Conrad, hardheaded real estate man that he is, simply wants some say in the disposition of the real estate owned -- in many cases, co-owned -- by the foundation and Gwendolyn's estate. For one thing, he has a dark, avowedly cynical sense of humor. Cafritz Calvin Cafritz Washington developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists, died Thursday morning, January 12, 2023, at Sibley Memorial Hospital, in Washington, DC. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. March 29, 1931 - If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Calvin Cafritz Washington developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists, died Thursday morning, January 12, 2023, at Sibley Memorial Hospital, in Washington, DC. Today, Calvin is foundation chairman. The strange paradox of her marriage was that Morris's money enabled her to carry out her lavish social dreams, while the family's being Jewish also placed limits on her chances of realizing them. ON JUNE 10, 1986, GWENDOLYN D. CAFRITZ GAVE HER LAST PARTY. When he died, his estate would be the largest ever probated in the District of Columbia; it would take teams of lawyers and IRS agents four years to settle the estate, finally valued in 1968 at $66 million. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. Cafritz exemplified what it means to be an inspirational leader and a great human being, said Pyatybratova. His father, one of Washington's leading commercial and residential builders from the early 1920's to the 1960's, distinguished himself as an outstanding civic leader known for generosity. "Getting along with her," says one developer who knows the family, "was something none of them ever mastered. Your email address will not be published. Calvin's younger brothers, Conrad and Carter, are behind-the- scenes players in many business and charitable ventures players. Cafritz was a tireless promoter of the city. I hope they will. Following the death of his father, Calvin became president of The Cafritz Co., Cafritz Construction Co. and Ambassador, Inc. in 1964. She set aside bequests for two nephews ($35,000 each); a former company employee, Dorothy Casey ($10,000); and four former servants (two bequests of $50,000 and two of $25,000). Distinguished D.C. Government Employees Recognized at Cafritz Awards Gala, Office of Communications & Marketing As you draw close to the famous burgundy front door, with its surrounding marble, you can see that the paint is cracking and fading to pink; and greenish stains from metal window fixtures are starting to weep down the white brick walls. Devoted father to Laurence (Sherri) Cafritz and Jodi (Mark Bronsky) Cafr Influence over the city's future -- no doubt. Cafritz is survived by his third wife, Jane Lipton Cafritz, a Washington lawyer whom he married in 2000; his three children; three stepchildren (including Olivia Rubenstein, who earned a masters degree from GSEHD in 2018); and numerous grandchildren and step-grandchildren, as well as his brother, Conrad Cafritz, chairman and CEO of Cafritz Interests. Old press notices, written in the uncritical fashion of the day, recount her summers in Monte Carlo; her typical day in Washington (beginning with a ride in her limousine -- license number 2301, to match her address -- to the Supreme Court or the Capitol, to take in a decision or an interesting hearing); her winter trips to Palm Beach; her shopping trips in Paris; her ladies lunches at the Mayflower Hotel. Cafritz Calvin Cafritz Washington developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists, died Thursday morning, January 12, 2023, at Sibley Memorial Hospital, in Washington, DC. The Cafritz Foundation is also responsible for developing Art Place at Fort Totten, a huge mixed-use project in the Northeast D.C. area. Ways to honor Calvin Cafritz's life and legacy. "That black sense of humor asserts itself, or he'll do something outrageous." He warmly greeted staff and fellow philanthropist alike, making no distinction between people. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. In real estate, especially within the constricting borders of D.C., power isn't limited to those who own the land; controlling the land can be almost as good. There he built the massive River House apartments; his estate eventually sold most of the land for others to develop. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. But in the end, her siege of Washington society outlasted most of those limits. He was 91 years of age. But he believes her drinking was a source of family discord. She appears every week on the WETA-TV arts show "Around Town." His father, Morris, established one of the Washington region's leading philanthropic entities, the Morris and . It was an invitation to stroll around the house and remember: When Gwen Cafritz, with her 19-inch waist and Balmain gowns, her raven hair and regal air, had won constant publicity for her parties -- 22 to dinner, with toasts over champagne, and enormous receptions like this one each spring and fall. But of the property over which she had control, Gwendolyn left her children only "such photographs, family mementos, and similar objects of domestic use or ornamentation as my executors, in their absolute discretion, shall determine that I would wish to have preserved for my children.". Calvin Cafritz Obituary It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Calvin Cafritz (Rockville, Maryland), who passed away on January 12, 2023, at the age of 91, leaving to mourn family and friends. It has been variously reviewed as "one of the more important bands to emerge from the new head-slamming school of American guitar/noise bands" and "the gnarliest, most scuzzed out molotov to hit the streets since the heady days of Teenage Jesus and The Jerks." "Decedent's condition deteriorated after the death of her husband in 1964 and grew worse in the following years. Peggy Cooper Cafritz, a doyenne of Washington arts and education, who tried to mend many of the city's social and racial wounds, created one of the nation's leading arts-intensive high schools,. "Right at the moment he could be most charming, he does something to undercut it," says one friend. But Conrad has rolled out impressive legal artillery, captained by former White House counsel Lloyd N. Cutler, and seems prepared to dig in for a long siege -- at least long enough, perhaps, to wring a settlement from his opponents. The Meyer Foundation is sad to learn of the passing of Calvin Cafritz, a Washington-area developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists. He had emigrated from Russia as a boy with his family, which stopped briefly in New York before settling down to run a grocery store at 24th and P streets NW. The George Washington University community is remembering the life of Calvin Cafritz, a businessman, philanthropist and longtime supporter of GW. Carter appears something of a cipher even to old family associates. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Calvin Cafritz to show support. It is hard to imagine, in this competitive atmosphere, that a single person could have dominated the field as Morris Cafritz once did. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. In 1971, Mr. Cafritz resigned to form Calvin Cafritz Enterprises, with investments in aviation, communications, and Washington area real estate. The entire time, he fought with gloves off, publicly charging his rivals with bad faith. To those who thronged to the parties, the children were rarely in evidence. Dean Liesl Riddle of the GW College of Professional Studies (CPS), where GW CEPL has been housed since 2005, said, Our college was launched to make an economic and social impact through innovative professional programs that cultivate talent for employers and propel students careers forward. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. He too has denied the sons' allegations in his formal answer to their complaint. 'Their Financial Needs Are Adequately Provided For'. No one needed to be told that this was Gwendolyn Cafritz's last hurrah. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. "He got up at 5 or 5:30, and he wanted to show me what a hard-working man he was.". Then there is the charitable legacy. D.C. developer, businessman and philanthropist Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of real estate icon Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn, died Thursday at Sibley Memorial Hospital.

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