He resigned seven years later to form Cafritz Enterprises. He began with houses, ultimately building about 10,000 homes in the Washington area. Atlas too declined to comment, but he issued a statement when the suit was filed saying that he had no role in drafting the will, and no advance knowledge of its contents. January 2023 - Page 189 - obituaries death He too has denied the sons' allegations in his formal answer to their complaint. Under the terms of an old agreement, each of the sons will automatically receive $7 million, tax-free, in recompense for having forfeited, in the late '60s, some money from a different trust. But almost no one noticed what seemed apparent to Gore Vidal, in brief glimpses of her during the '60s: "Toward the end {of the decade}, she was always drunk whenever I saw her. ", High culture was one of her chosen routes to acceptance. "Getting along with her," says one developer who knows the family, "was something none of them ever mastered. In Remembrance. Thanks to the support of the Cafritz Foundation for the last 25 years, CEPL has supported organizational transformation across the public sector in the city. 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. The Cromwell, Aberdeen, Fernbrook, Rosedale, Isleworth, Traymore and Zellwood are in sorry shape today, but still stand as a modest monument to the name C-A-F-R-I-T-Z. Mr. Real estate was more than mortgages and refi nancing in the Cafritzian heyday; it was empire building . 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. The family observed Jewish holidays, and the sons attended religious school at Washington Hebrew Congregation on weekends. Conrad, who was a losing bidder for the job, waged a lengthy challenge, arguing that Western was giving short shrift to the minority partners whose participation qualified the partnership for the contract award; though he finally lost last year, he succeeded in forcing a renegotiation of terms between Western and the Redevelopment Land Agency. He was preceded in death by his brother Carter Cafritz. With that philosophy he built a substantial reputation for philanthropy. To Edward R. Murrow, in a 1956 interview, she said that to speak of Washington cocktail parties was "unfair to Washington. Kateryna Pyatybratova directs the centers Cafritz Awards program. The entire time, he fought with gloves off, publicly charging his rivals with bad faith. His class yearbook is littered with references to his family's money; in a list at the back of "most likely" candidates, the last two entries read, "Most Likely to Succeed: Johnson, Clague," and "Doesn't Have To: Cafritz. . He is also survived by his brother Conrad Cafritz, chairman and CEO of Cafritz Interests, a real estate company. Ymelda Dixon, who covered many of her parties for the Evening Star, recalls, "They were great parties, because she had the means and the imagination. 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 most famous of these was the Cafritz Building, at 1625 I; ballyhooed in 1950 as the first "park-at-your-desk" building, it had ramps rising 10 stories at the building's core. He may sometimes have yearned for recognition: One night, after one of the glamorous dinners, he drew a friend of Gwendolyn's away from the dining room and into the kitchen. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. "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. We hoped to let the public know about these outstanding individuals and to send a message to other excellent government employees that their dedication and considerable accomplishments are valued." 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. There is still a sign directing deliveries to the back of the house, as if tradesmen were still streaming up to the front door to importune the lady of the house, and Ridgewell's were due at any moment with more shrimp and cocktail sauce. When the Cafritzes' back terrace offered the most celebrated view of the city, southeast, past the swimming pool and rolling lawn, all the way to the Capitol. A minor but colorful part of Cafritz's legacy was an idea borrowed from Harry Wardman, his predecessor as the leader of the field. Today he shares office space and support staff with Conrad's growing interests, but for the most part pursues his own deals. "Carter Cafritz is just a genuine nice fellow," says Raymond Carter, a former vice president of the Cafritz Co. "Conrad is more in the father's mold. All Rights Reserved. Your email address will not be published. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on December 2 at First Presbyterian Church of Richardson with David Schaefers officiating. Calvin Cafritz, their eldest son, became Board Chairman in 1989 and in 1993, he was elected President and CEO of the Foundation. By 1967, records show a sprinkling of grants to highbrow cultural causes: the Committee to Rescue Italian Art, the Opera Society of Washington, the Corcoran Gallery. January 12, 2023 "Watch Washington Grow to One Million," he urged in newspaper ads of the '40s, a slogan he changed to "Watch Washington Grow to Two Million" after the 1950 census counted more than 1.4 million in the metropolitan area. He often conveyed his conviction that believing in a cause obligated one to support it financially. A memorial service will be held at a later date. To Calvin Cafritz, she left the symbolic role of family chief, Morris Cafritz'ssuccessor in a world of primogeniture. Add a photo or a video Morris Cafritz incorporated the foundation in 1948 to give money to Washington-area charities, and when he died 16 years later, he left it half his estate, mostly as stock in dozens of closely held corporations; as the new majority owner of most of these companies, and with Gwendolyn owning most of the rest, the foundation became in essence the owner of the Cafritz Co., its subsidiaries and its assets. And even then, there was always fussing. Mr. Cafritz is also survived by his brother Conrad Cafritz. Calvin Cafritz began his career with Cafritz Construction in 1947, pausing briefly to attend college and serve in the military. One possible reason for that -- and for any bitterness that might motivate the lawsuit -- is suggested by the suit's underlying argument: "For many years, beginning at a time not precisely known to plaintiffs, but at least by the time of the death of the late Morris Cafritz, the Decedent began suffering from a number of conditions that resulted in physical and mental debilitation," reads the complaint. Cafritzs encouragement has particularly strengthened the Washington-area communitys appreciation of textiles as a vital form of artistic expression and global cultural heritage.". Ridgewell's had produced, out of retirement, the same waiter who had announced the guests eight years before. In 2021 alone, the foundation awarded some 430 grants to 413 nonprofits. 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. "Carter, he always did what the other two did," says Casey. These two, according to the complaint by Carter and Conrad Cafritz, "exerted undue influence" in Gwendolyn's decision to leave her entire estate to the foundation, of which they are both trustees. ON JUNE 10, 1986, GWENDOLYN D. CAFRITZ GAVE HER LAST PARTY. ", While she cultivated the mighty, Morris looked closer to home, helping to found the Washington Community Chest, becoming an activist in local Jewish groups. Two and a half years later Gwendolyn Cafritz was dead of cancer, at 78, and the following summer -- three years after that final party -- her two younger sons filed suit in D.C. Superior Court to have her will overturned and her estate, worth at least $140 million, divided among her children. Conrad's strategy has been diversity. "I think he went along," says a longtime business associate, Irwin Altman. "The boys used to make a joke of their mother. Calvin Cafritz Obituary (1931 - 2023) | Rockville, Maryland It charges that Rogers and Atlas "exerted undue influence" on her decision to leave all her money to the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and that Gwendolyn herself "lacked testamentary capacity," meaning that she was incapable of writing her will. She could no longer make an entrance, of course. Cafritz was a native and longtime resident of Washington, DC. 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.". 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. Calvin Cafritz, a successful businessman, was involved in real estate for more than fifty years. Cafritz Family Obituaries | Cafritz Last Name Obits Calvin Cafritz and the Cafritz Foundation have been part of the GW Honey Nashman Center from its earliest roots in the Office of Community Service and the Neighbors Project in the 1990s through to the present, said Amy Cohen, executive director of the center.

. He was the eldest son of real estate titan Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn. ", The Cafritzes slept in separate bedrooms, Morris rising at dawn to get to the office. The outcome of the lawsuit is unpredictable, though clearly it will be an uphill fight: Showing that someone was alcoholic is very different from demonstrating that she was incapable of writing a will. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. The suit was filed by the middle and youngest Cafritz sons, Carter, 53, and Conrad, 51. Its annual reports list a fairly traditional, staid set of beneficiaries, and its grants are studied by an advisory board heavily weighted toward the kind of high-profile, high-society arts philanthropy that Gwendolyn favored: Among the members are National Gallery of Art Director J. Carter Brown, retired Smithsonian secretary S. Dillon Ripley and retired librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin, as well Carolyn Deaver, wife of former White House deputy chief of staff Michael K. Deaver, and a social friend of Gwendolyn's, Mrs. Tazewell Shepard. Another asks the bank to produce "all documents relating to purchase or provision of wine, champagne, or liquor on behalf of or for Gwendolyn Cafritz or for delivery to or consumption at 2301 Foxhall Road. January 16, 2023, 1:16 AM 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. (His first wife, Jennifer, has since married Laughlin Phillips, son of Duncan and Marjorie Phillips and president of the Phillips Collection.). You have funeral questions, we have answers. In 1971, Mr. Cafritz resigned to form Calvin Cafritz Enterprises, with investments in aviation, communications, and Washington area real estate. The trust was established at the death of Morris Cafritz in June 1964 in the interests of saving estate taxes. The D.C. community is better for his engagement and we will miss him terribly.. Services Guestbook Condolences. 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. . Remembering Calvin Cafritz - The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation 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. But it has that air of a property just turning past ripeness, toward seed. We will miss his gracious and generous presence.. In any case, he was at least 20 years older than his bride when they married in 1929. He's truly out to make a big impact on the city, I think. Senator Barry Goldwater . Philanthropic 50: Calvin and Jane Cafritz: They Sing For More Than 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. . Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz were oil and water, a marriage forged out of surprisingly dissonant elements. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. Calvin, 58, who finds himself a defendant in this lawsuit, is usually described as gentlemanly, methodical and reserved. His father, Morris, established one of the Washington region's leading philanthropic entities, the Morris and . But in the end, her siege of Washington society outlasted most of those limits. Carter Cafritz, who sits on the board of WETA, began his career in partnership with Conrad, building apartments and town houses in and around the city. "She wanted something, and she put up with a lot of {expletive}, and she got it. He has assembled a group of about 14 local hotels, including the Georgetown Inn and One Washington Circle. She had not given a party for eight years, and even then, she had been memorializing the past; the real tradition, the old wine being decanted on this lambent June evening, had been decades in storage. Chances are, many Washingtonians might not even realize how much real estate the Cafritz family is responsible for in the area. 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. 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. For one thing, he has a dark, avowedly cynical sense of humor. Carter appears something of a cipher even to old family associates. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic, SAGEL BLOOMFIELD DANZANSKY GOLDBERG FUNERAL CARE INC. "When I heard about it, I wrote Conrad and told him I thought it was a horrible thing he and his brother were doing to his mother," says Dorothy L. Casey, a retired secretary who worked for the Cafritz Co. for decades, reflecting a widespread tendency to speak of Carter as his brother's satellite. Nor, apparently, is it for us to judge what her sons now want from a D.C. Superior Court judge: All three declined to beinterviewed. Published by The Washington Post on Jan. 22, 2023. Marvin Katz was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dr. Donald LaVerne Katz and Lila Maxine Katz on December 12, 1935. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. To those who thronged to the parties, the children were rarely in evidence. ", According to friends, her confidence was badly shaken when she was robbed at home in 1969 by gunmen who bound and beat her, stealing most of the spectacular jewelry Morris had given her. Mr. Cafritz recognized and championed this work, and its success is a part of his inspiring legacy., Throughout the years, he gave feedback constructively and in a helpful manner, said Jim Robinson, executive director of GW CEPL. 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. She was forever trying to tell me some long story I could never make head or tail of. Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of real estate developer Morris Cafritz, died last week at the age of 91. Calvin R Cafritz, (202) 223-3100, 1642 29th St NW, Washington, DC Md.-based government contractor relocates headquarters to Fairfax Co. Montgomery County, MD Files Lawsuit Against McKinsey and Company, Inc. for Companys Role in Creating Opioid Epidemic, GSA Seeks Commercial Procurement Data Solution. Marvin LaVerne Katz, 83, of Dallas, Texas, passed away on November 22, 2019 in Dallas. According to Susan Boerstling, GWs assistant vice president for corporate and foundation relations, the partnership of the Cafritz Foundation with GW is unique in terms of other universities in the area. The annual Cafritz Awards Gala has been held on campus for many years, Boerstling noted, representing a partnership between the university, the foundation and the Office of the D.C. Mayor. Morris had one vision, and Gwendolyn another; whoever now gains control might offer still a third. But maybe they just don't want Gwen Cafritz to have the last word. Once grown, the sons established limited, perfunctory contacts with their mother. Calvin Cafritz - Rockville, Maryland , Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky If she gave them an order, they took it lightly, because she liked to drink. Conrad and his first wife entertained often in their Georgetown house in the '60s, giving parties -- often liberal fund-raisers -- that offered cozy intimations of radical chic. At seated dinners for 22, she entertained ambassadors and justices, senators and Cabinet secretaries. 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. Mr. Calvins brother Carter passed away in 2019. Under an earlier agreement between Gwendolyn and her sons, she gave up her power to "appoint" one-quarter of the trust, meaning that $21 million -- or $7 million each -- would automatically go to her sons upon her death. Website by Red Clay Creative, Chances are, many Washingtonians might not even realize how much real estate the Cafritz family is responsible for in the area. JAMES CAFRITZ Obituary (1930 - 2020) - Rockville, DC - The Washington Post The foundation, which Calvin led for over 30 years (after his mother Gwendolyn died in 1988), focuses on programs in the arts and humanities. 1050 30th St. NW He also is a director. For him, philanthropy required partnerships that are broad, diverse, and extensive. . They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. And he still fights his battles with a surprising intensity, rarely bothering with the shake-hands-and-forget-it bonhomie common in Washington business. Their complaint challenges her wish to leave all she owned, except for minor bequests, to the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, a charitable trust her husband had established 40 years before. Yet Morris made little impression on Gwendolyn's social world, and she often went out or took vacations alone. Perhaps one day Calvin, or Conrad, or some Cafritz now unknown, will find a way to bring together the opposite forms of ambition that thrived in this house, and give a second start to the dynasty that never was. That's what we call a success story. At the least, then, Gwendolyn's will disposes of more than $140 million. "Decedent's condition deteriorated after the death of her husband in 1964 and grew worse in the following years. He was "greatly respected and liked, even in an antisemitic society," recalls Dixon. Her gown, as in the past, was spectacularly formal: folds of purple satin sweeping to her ankles beneath a fitted bodice. None of the Cafritz sons can be said to need the money that is at stake. In the '70s she became a near-recluse. He was 91 at the time he died. "He just wanted to build, build, build, build!" Influence over the city's future -- no doubt. And to the publicity-loathing cave dwellers, the Georgetown hostesses who were society leaders by birth, Gwendolyn's so-visible efforts made her a figure of fun. Washington, DC 20007 Then there is the foundation itself, with its powerful endowment for the city. For now, the house is tended by at least two servants, who are listed in court documents as living there, and the grass is beautifully clipped, the pachysandra well-tended. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. The majority of this property was already owned by the Cafritz Foundation, but Gwendolyn was partial owner of many of the buildings; even a limited power to control their disposition would presumably attract men with ambitions in Washington real estate. Their differences were, in fact, a part of their legend, for they were one of the earliest families to bring together the two cities on the Potomac: On the one hand was the ethereal world of social and political Washington -- her world, which venerated either good birth or a seat in the Senate; on the other hand was his world, the corporeal city of sewers and streets and buildings and real citizens, men and women who grew up above grocery stores the way Morris Cafritz had. Site design by, D.C. developer and head of the Cafritz Foundation. 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. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. He served in these roles until 2022, when Jane Lipton Cafritz, his wife, was elected Board Chair and President and CEO. Cafritz started by investing in real estate, and was always ready to make a prescient purchase, but his true passion was construction. Calvin Cafritz, D.C. developer, businessman and philanthropist has died CAFRITZ SONS WIN ESTATE CHALLENGE - The Washington Post She retained the right to will awaythe remaining three-quarters, or $63 million, which sheleft to the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Devoted father to Laurence (Sherri) Cafritz and Jodi (Mark Bronsky) Cafr Several friends read this changeability as part of a larger ambivalence about whether he wants to be an insider or a maverick, heir to a famous tradition or the rebel who subverts it. And in the two decades of her advocacy, she has established a high profile -- and raised a lot of hackles among the old guard that runs most of the city's major cultural institutions. Required fields are marked *. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Two and a half years later Gwendolyn Cafritz was dead of cancer, at 78, and the following summer -- three years after that final party -- her two younger sons filed suit in D.C. Superior Court to. The judge's decision, though in favor of Conrad and Carter Cafritz, is of little. But he believes her drinking was a source of family discord. ", She kept up appearances even in the privacy of her home, where she drank Scotch from a decanter in the living room. The George Washington University community is remembering the life of Calvin Cafritz, a businessman, philanthropist and longtime supporter of GW. Calvin Cafritz, D.C. developer and head of the Cafritz Foundation, dies at 91. bizjournals.com - Michael Neibauer 20h. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall. Today, Calvin is foundation chairman.
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