Morris Cafritz was a Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 real estate developer, and philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

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Life

His family immigrated from Lithuania, to Washington, D.C. They lived at 2706 N Street, in Georgetown. He bought produce for his father's grocery store. He studied at the Corcoran School

Corcoran School

Corcoran School is an historic school at 40 Walnut Street in Clinton, Massachusetts.The school was built by Charles Bateman and added to the National Historic Register in 2000....

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He studied at the National Law University.
He bought the Star Coal and Coke Company, at 315 Q Street.
In 1911, he owned a saloon, the Old-Timer's Bar, at 8th Street and K Street, Southwest, Washington, D.C.
He operated bowling alleys.

He joined his cousin, in the development of Park Place, near 7th Street.
In 1922, he started the development of Petworth

Petworth, Washington, D.C.

Petworth is a residential neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., bounded by Georgia Avenue to the west, North Capitol Street to the east, Rock Creek Church Road to the south, and Kennedy Street NW to the north...

, where he sold houses for $8,950, or financed for $1 down and $75 a month.
He developed the Greenwich Forest

Greenwich Forest

Greenwich Forest is a residential community in Bethesda, Maryland, between Old Georgetown Road, and Bradley Boulevard.It was designated a Historical Neighborhood, by the Maryland Historical Trust.-External links:*...

 neighborhood.

He built the Ambassador Hotel, at 14th an K Street; the Westchester Apartments in 1932;
and the Majestic Apartments.
He built a home at 2301 Ridge Road, N.W.

In 1949, he built the Cafritz Building, at 1625 Eye Street

1625 Eye Street

1625 Eye Street is a high-rise skyscraper building located in Washington, D.C., United States. Its construction began in 2001 and was completed in 2003. The building rises to , featuring 12 floors and 10 elevators to serve those 12 floors. The construction of this building replaced the Cafritz...

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He developed along K Street

K Street

K Street can refer to:* K Street , a street located in Washington, D.C.** By metonymy, the U.S. lobbying industry, many of whose firms have offices on this street* K Street Project, a lobbying effort by the Republican Party...

, building office buildings at 1725 K, 1725 I, and 1735 I Streets.

Philanthropy

He was a charter member of the YMHA, in Washington, D.C. He raised $250,000 to build the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center

Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center

The Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center is a Jewish Community Center located in the historic district of Dupont Circle. It serves the Washington, D.C...

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He was president of the Jewish Community Center.
In 1964, he offered to donate the Keith theater

Chase's Theater and Riggs Building

The Chase's Theater and Riggs Building, also known as the Keith-Albee Theater is an historic building located at 1426 G Street and 615-627 15th Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C., in the Downtown neighborhood.-History:...

 as a performing arts center.

He founded the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, in 1948,
funding it with half his estate, $11 1/2 million.

The Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts is named for him.

Sources

• The Washington Century: Three Families and the Shaping of the Nation's Capital, William Morrow, November 9, 2004, ISBN 9780066213729

External links

• http://www.ihrfg.org/funder-directory/morris-gwendolyn-cafritz-foundation
• http://www.gwu.edu/~cepl/cafritz/press-release.html