Percy Uris (August 19, 1899 – November 20, 1971) was an American real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist who co-founded with his brother Harold Uris, the Uris Buildings Corporation.
Biography Uris was born to a Jewish family, the son of Sadie (née Copland) and Harris Uris, an immigrant from Russia and founder of an ornamental ironwork factory.Palm Beach Daily News: "Percy Uris Rites Held" November 23, 1971Kihss, Peter. "HAROLD URIS, SKYSCRAPER DEVELOPER AND PHILANTHROPIST, IS DEAD AT 76", The New York Times, March 29, 1982. Accessed January 11, 2011. After earning a B.S. from Columbia Business School in 1920, Percy joined his brother, Harold, and their father in developing residential real estate. After WWII, the brothers focused on commercial development, with Harold handling the construction and Percy the financial aspects. Claiming to be the largest private developers in New York City, the Uris Brothers primarily used architect Emery Roth.Columbia University Libraries; "Emery Roth & Sons" retrieved March 23, 2014 In 1960, they created Uris Buildings Corp. as a real estate investment company.Landmarks Preservation Commission: "LOOK BUILDING, 488 Madison Avenue" July 27, 2010 One of the last buildings the brothers built together was the Uris Building housing the Uris Theater.Columbia University Libraries: "Percy and Harold D. Uris papers" retrieved march 23, 2014 Soon after Percy's death in 1971, Harold sold the corporation to Kinney National Company for $115 million, but the assets were soon foreclosed in NY's real estate recession.
In 1956, the brothers created the Uris Brothers Foundation donating generously to Cornell, Columbia, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A social sciences building built in 1972 was named for Uris and his brother Harold.Uris Hall Retrieved 2009-01-28. In 1962, the main University Library building was renamed Uris Library. In 1998, the Uris Brothers Foundation was dissolved after donating all its remaining assets: $10 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, $10 million to the Central Park Conservancy, $3 million to the New York Public Library, $3 million to Thirteen/WNET, $2.5 million to Carnegie Hall, and $1.5 million to the New School for Social Research. New York Times: "A Foundation Gives Away $30 Million and Calls It Quits" By GLENN COLLINS June 25, 1998
Uris was married and had two daughters: Mrs. Allan Levitt and Mrs. Peter Krulewitch. He died on November 20, 1971, in Palm Beach, Florida.
External links Percy and Harold D. Uris papers at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University
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