Paul Tishman
Encyclopedia
Paul Tishman, was a real-estate developer and a collector of African art
. Paul Tishman was a member of the long established New York construction and real estate family whose independent development company did major projects in the New York area.
In 1924, Mr. Tishman joined the Tishman Realty and Construction Company, which his father had founded in 1898. He was graduated from Harvard University in 1921 and did graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and Columbia University
.
He rose to senior vice president and director of the family company, but he left in 1949 to form his own company, Paul Tishman Inc. His company specialized in urban renewal
, buildings for universities and hospital
s, and buildings for federal
, state
and local government
s.
Among his projects was Washington Square Village
, where modern apartment buildings replaced several blocks of older housing in Greenwich Village
south of Washington Square Park
. Because of opposition, the project was stopped after two buildings, but New York University
carried it forward.
His company also built the Student Art Center at Sarah Lawrence College
in Yonkers
, Ravenswood Houses in Astoria, Queens
, and Concord Village in Brooklyn
. He retired in 1969.
He was active in civic organizations, serving as a director of the Urban League, the Legal Aid Society
and the New York League for the Hard of Hearing. He also was a member of the visiting committee of the primitive art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
.
Allan Sherman
parodied Tishman on his last Warner Brothers release (Togetherness, 1967) in the song "If I Were A Tishman" (All day long I'd buildy-buildy build, if I were a building man...) to the tune of "If I Were a Rich Man
" from Fiddler on the Roof
.
Mr. Tishman collected African art
and had an exhibition of his collection at the Metropolitan Museum in 1981. Walt Disney Productions acquired the collection for Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida
.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, the former Ruth Worms; two daughters, Ellen Rosenthal and Jean Harrison, and six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
African art
African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many casual observers tend to generalize "traditional" African art, the continent is full of people, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual special culture. The definition also includes the art of the African...
. Paul Tishman was a member of the long established New York construction and real estate family whose independent development company did major projects in the New York area.
In 1924, Mr. Tishman joined the Tishman Realty and Construction Company, which his father had founded in 1898. He was graduated from Harvard University in 1921 and did graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
He rose to senior vice president and director of the family company, but he left in 1949 to form his own company, Paul Tishman Inc. His company specialized in urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
, buildings for universities and hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s, and buildings for federal
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
, state
State government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...
and local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
s.
Among his projects was Washington Square Village
Washington Square Village
Washington Square Village is an apartment complex in a superblock in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. WSV was developed by Paul Tishman and Morton S. Wolf. To design the housing complex,the developer selected architects S.J...
, where modern apartment buildings replaced several blocks of older housing in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
south of Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres , it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity...
. Because of opposition, the project was stopped after two buildings, but New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
carried it forward.
His company also built the Student Art Center at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, Ravenswood Houses in Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, and Concord Village in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He retired in 1969.
He was active in civic organizations, serving as a director of the Urban League, the Legal Aid Society
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
and the New York League for the Hard of Hearing. He also was a member of the visiting committee of the primitive art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
.
Allan Sherman
Allan Sherman
Allan Sherman was an American comedy writer and television producer who became famous as a song parodist in the early 1960s. His first album, My Son, the Folk Singer , became the fastest-selling record album up to that time...
parodied Tishman on his last Warner Brothers release (Togetherness, 1967) in the song "If I Were A Tishman" (All day long I'd buildy-buildy build, if I were a building man...) to the tune of "If I Were a Rich Man
If I Were a Rich Man (song)
"If I Were a Rich Man" is a song from the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof. It was written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock. The song is performed by Tevye, the main character in the musical, and reflects his dreams of glory....
" from Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
.
Mr. Tishman collected African art
African art
African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many casual observers tend to generalize "traditional" African art, the continent is full of people, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual special culture. The definition also includes the art of the African...
and had an exhibition of his collection at the Metropolitan Museum in 1981. Walt Disney Productions acquired the collection for Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, the former Ruth Worms; two daughters, Ellen Rosenthal and Jean Harrison, and six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.