Arthur G. Cohen

Arthur George Cohen (April 23, 1930 – August 9, 2014) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and real estate investor and developer in New York City.^[1]

Early life and Education

Cohen was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Frances (née Kostick) and Louis D. Cohen.^[2] He received a B.A. from the University of Miami and his J.D. from the New York Law School.^[3]

Career

Arlen Realty & Development Corporation

Cohen became involved in real estate through founding Arlen Realty & Development Corporation with Arthur N. Levien in 1959.^[4]

Serving as Arlen's Chairman, Cohen began by developing suburban shopping centers throughout the country, and in 1971 he purchased the national discount retail chain E.J. Korvette. By 1975 Arlen owned and managed over 42,000,000 square feet (3,900,000 m²) of shopping centers, and was the largest publicly traded REIT in the nation. Beginning in 1967, Arlen partnered with Donald Soffer's Turnberry Associates in developing the City of Aventura, Florida.^[5] In 1975, Arlen partnered with Aristotle Onassis to build Olympic Tower on Fifth Avenue.^[6]

Other prominent Arlen buildings included their corporate headquarters 888 7th Avenue,^[7] 1500 Broadway and 1501 Broadway in Times Square,^[8] 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 800 Third Avenue, 100 Wall Street, and the Westyard Building at 450 West 33rd Street.

Additional Investments

In addition to Arlen, Cohen has continued to invest within the US in real estate, lodging, restaurants, aviation, and manufacturing industries.^[9] Some projects include the development of the David Childs designed Worldwide Plaza ^[10] and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Times Square with William Zeckendorf Jr.,^[11] the Peninsula Hotel in New York City,^[12] the Hotel Pennsylvania,^[13] the Whitehall Building in Battery Park,^[14] Fifth Avenue Tower, The Taft Hotel and Manhattan Mall.^[15]

Alongside real estate investor Jeff Gural, Cohen was also a partner with David Walentas in the 1979 acquisition of 2 million square feet of industrial buildings in Dumbo, Brooklyn.^[16]

Partnership with Ian Schrager

Cohen partnered with hotellier Ian Schrager in creating some of the first boutique hotels in New York City at a time in which Schrager had much difficulty attracting more conventional sources of financing.^[17] The partnership resulted in the acquisition and renovation of hotels such as the Philippe Starck designed Royalton Hotel^[18] and Paramount Hotel,^[19] as well as the Barbizon Hotel.^[20]

Corporate Involvement

Cohen is a former director of Citicorp (now part of Citigroup NYSE: C),the Home Title Division of the Chicago Title Insurance Company (now part of Fidelity National Financial NYSE:FNF), and the John Hancock Mutual Fund.^[21] He has also served on the board of directors and been part of the ownership group for the 1988 Leveraged Buyout of Braniff Airlines^[22] as well as for the 1989 Leveraged Buyout of national restaurant chain Houlihan's and Darryl's.^[23]

Philanthropy

Cohen was a former trustee of Brandeis University, New York Law School, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has also received the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, has been named the man of the year by the Anti-Defamation League, and served as a member of the Special Mission to Israel under Golda Meir and as Special Envoy to aid underprivileged nations under Lyndon B. Johnson. Cohen has received an honorary degree from Long Island University.^[21]

Personal life and death

Cohen was married to Karen Bassine from Great Neck, New York. They had five daughters: Lauren Reddington, Susan Siegel, Debra Duran, Rochelle Rosenberg and Kathy Horowitz.^[24] Cohen died on August 9, 2014 in Kings Point, New York. He was 84.^[24]

References