David Azrieli
Encyclopedia
David Joshua Azrieli, is a Canadian
real estate
tycoon, developer, designer
, architect
, and philanthropist
. With an estimated net worth of $US 3.1 billion (as of March 2011), Azrieli was ranked by Forbes
as the 8th wealthiest Canadian and 362nd in the world.
, Poland
, he fled Europe during World War II
for British Mandate Palestine
. Between 1943 and 1946, Azrieli briefly studied architecture at the Technion, though did not complete his studies at that time. He fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
. After immigrating to Montreal
in 1954, he established his building business, beginning with the construction of small duplexes and working his way up to apartment buildings and, later on, shopping malls. This business is now called Canpro Investments. At the age of 75, he received his Master's degree in architecture from Carleton University
.
He married Stephanie Lefcourt in 1957 and the couple have four children: Rafael, Sharon, Naomi and Danna.
Azrieli's building projects can be seen in the office buildings, high-rise residences, office towers and shopping centres he has built in Canada, the United States and Israel. His two companies - Montreal-based Canpro Investments Ltd. and Tel-Aviv-based Canit Investment, Management and Finance Ltd. – are considered leaders in their fields.
Azrieli built a number of notable Israeli commercial centres including the Jerusalem Shopping Mall in Malcha, Jerusalem, Kanion ha-Negev in Beersheba
and the eponymous Azrieli Center
in Tel Aviv
, the largest real estate project in Israel and the Middle East, including three skyscrapers in the heart of Tel Aviv, which has become an architectural landmark at the core of Israel's business activities.
Azrieli and his wife currently reside in Herzliah.
In 1969, the heirs of Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne
put up for sale the Van Horne Mansion
in Montreal, Canada. A buyer was not found until 1973, when developer David Azrieli bought the land. His intention to raze the mansion was met with fierce opposition from many groups opposed to the demolition spree, including Rene Lepine
, another big-time real estate developer who owned the building next to the Van Horne Mansion and who wanted to buy it back from Azrieli to restore the mansion instead of developing the land. However, Mr. Azrieli remained committed to demolishing the historic landmark, and, during the early morning hours of September 8, 1973, under the cover of darkness, had the mansion demolished by bulldozers. Montreal residents woke the following morning to a pile of rubble where once stood the proud home. The Sofitel Montreal
now stands on the property which is the building Azrieli built.
As a direct result of this action, the group Save Montreal was formed to organise resistance to future demolitions.
Renaming of the Carleton University School of Architecture
In 2008, following a $5.5-million donation by David Azrieli, Carleton University
, in Ottawa, Canada, renamed its architecture school the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism.
Programs and initiatives funded by the Azrieli Foundation are located in Canada
, Israel and the United States
.
In addition to the many traditional and innovative charitable programs that receive financial support, the Azrieli Foundation has established and operates:
The Azrieli Fellows Program: promoting academic excellence and leadership in graduate studies at Israeli universities, in the fields of Interdisciplinary & Applied Sciences, Education, and Architecture & Urban Planning.
The Azrieli Foundation Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program: collects, edits, publishes and distributes the written memoirs and diaries of Holocaust survivors who made their way to Canada. The books are published under the imprint “The Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs.” In 2007, the Foundation launched the first series of seven memoirs in events in Montreal and Toronto with guest speakers Simone Veil and Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The memoirs will be made available for free to public libraries across Canada, Holocaust organizations worldwide, and other interested readers. The memoirs will also appear online by the summer of 2008.
The Azrieli Institute for Educational Empowerment: A program aimed at empowering Israeli youth-at-risk and encouraging them to stay in school by closing educational gaps, instilling social skills and providing parents with tools for improving family relationships.
David Azrieli Established the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
at Yeshiva University
in New York City
.
An endowment from David Azrieli helped establish the David J. Azrieli Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in Architecture at Carleton University
in Ottawa
in 2004.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
tycoon, developer, designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
, architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, 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...
. With an estimated net worth of $US 3.1 billion (as of March 2011), Azrieli was ranked by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
as the 8th wealthiest Canadian and 362nd in the world.
Background
Born in Maków MazowieckiMaków Mazowiecki
Maków Mazowiecki is a town in Poland, in the Masovian Voivodship. It is the powiat capital of Maków County . Its population is 10,850....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, he fled Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for British Mandate Palestine
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Between 1943 and 1946, Azrieli briefly studied architecture at the Technion, though did not complete his studies at that time. He fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
. After immigrating to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1954, he established his building business, beginning with the construction of small duplexes and working his way up to apartment buildings and, later on, shopping malls. This business is now called Canpro Investments. At the age of 75, he received his Master's degree in architecture from Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
.
Azrieli's building projects can be seen in the office buildings, high-rise residences, office towers and shopping centres he has built in Canada, the United States and Israel. His two companies - Montreal-based Canpro Investments Ltd. and Tel-Aviv-based Canit Investment, Management and Finance Ltd. – are considered leaders in their fields.
Azrieli built a number of notable Israeli commercial centres including the Jerusalem Shopping Mall in Malcha, Jerusalem, Kanion ha-Negev in Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
and the eponymous Azrieli Center
Azrieli Center
Azrieli Center is a complex of skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. At the base of the center lies a large shopping mall. The center was originally designed by Israeli-American architect Eli Attia, and after he fell out with the developer of the center David Azrieli , completion of the design was passed on to...
in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, the largest real estate project in Israel and the Middle East, including three skyscrapers in the heart of Tel Aviv, which has become an architectural landmark at the core of Israel's business activities.
Azrieli and his wife currently reside in Herzliah.
Controversy
Van Horne MansionIn 1969, the heirs of Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne
William Cornelius Van Horne
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, KCMG was a pioneering Canadian railway executive.-Life and career:Born in 1843 in rural Illinois, he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois when he was eight years old...
put up for sale the Van Horne Mansion
Van Horne Mansion
The Van Horne Mansion was a classic greystone house in the Golden Square Mile district of Montreal that once belonged to Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne. It existed on Sherbrooke Street at the corner of Stanley Street. It was torn down by developer David Azrieli in 1973 under...
in Montreal, Canada. A buyer was not found until 1973, when developer David Azrieli bought the land. His intention to raze the mansion was met with fierce opposition from many groups opposed to the demolition spree, including Rene Lepine
Rene Lepine
René G. Lépine, Sr. is a Canadian real estate tycoon, developer, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of Groupe Lépine, a privately owned real estate company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, he is currently the Chairman and President....
, another big-time real estate developer who owned the building next to the Van Horne Mansion and who wanted to buy it back from Azrieli to restore the mansion instead of developing the land. However, Mr. Azrieli remained committed to demolishing the historic landmark, and, during the early morning hours of September 8, 1973, under the cover of darkness, had the mansion demolished by bulldozers. Montreal residents woke the following morning to a pile of rubble where once stood the proud home. The Sofitel Montreal
Sofitel
Sofitel is a luxury hotel chain managed by Accor, which opened its first property in Strasbourg in 1964. Its first overseas opening in Minneapolis, USA was in 1974. In 1995 Sofitel had 100 hotels in 40 countries and employed 12500 people....
now stands on the property which is the building Azrieli built.
As a direct result of this action, the group Save Montreal was formed to organise resistance to future demolitions.
Renaming of the Carleton University School of Architecture
In 2008, following a $5.5-million donation by David Azrieli, Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, in Ottawa, Canada, renamed its architecture school the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism.
Philanthropy
The Azrieli Foundation was established by David Azrieli in 1989 to support initiatives and develop and operate programs that promote access to education and the achievement of excellence in various fields of knowledge and activity.The Azrieli Foundation
- generously supports undergraduate and graduate students through various university-based scholarships and fellowships
- promotes excellence in architecture and architectural education
- supports scientific and medical research and education
- empowers high-school students through programs aimed at lowering the drop-out rate
- supports vibrant and sustainable Jewish communities by promoting Jewish educationJewish educationJewish education is the transmission of the tenets, principles and religious laws of Judaism. Due to its emphasis on Torah study, many have commented that Judaism is characterised by "lifelong learning" that extends to adults as much as it does to children.-History:The tradition of Jewish...
al institutions and opportunities - promotes access to and excellence in Holocaust education and research, and aims to expand Holocaust commemoration
- supports educational programmes devoted to outreach among inter-married families and their children
- promotes quality of life and continuing education for adults with developmental disabilities
- supports excellence and education in music and the arts.
Programs and initiatives funded by the Azrieli Foundation are located in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Israel and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In addition to the many traditional and innovative charitable programs that receive financial support, the Azrieli Foundation has established and operates:
The Azrieli Fellows Program: promoting academic excellence and leadership in graduate studies at Israeli universities, in the fields of Interdisciplinary & Applied Sciences, Education, and Architecture & Urban Planning.
The Azrieli Foundation Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program: collects, edits, publishes and distributes the written memoirs and diaries of Holocaust survivors who made their way to Canada. The books are published under the imprint “The Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs.” In 2007, the Foundation launched the first series of seven memoirs in events in Montreal and Toronto with guest speakers Simone Veil and Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The memoirs will be made available for free to public libraries across Canada, Holocaust organizations worldwide, and other interested readers. The memoirs will also appear online by the summer of 2008.
The Azrieli Institute for Educational Empowerment: A program aimed at empowering Israeli youth-at-risk and encouraging them to stay in school by closing educational gaps, instilling social skills and providing parents with tools for improving family relationships.
David Azrieli Established the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
The Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, a Yeshiva University professional school, was established in 1945 and named in 1983 for Montréal architect and philanthropist David J. Azrieli...
at Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
An endowment from David Azrieli helped establish the David J. Azrieli Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in Architecture at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
in 2004.
Awards
- Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(1984) - Knight of the National Order of QuebecNational Order of QuebecThe National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
(1999)