Hungarian Heritage Review, 1990 (19. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1990-01-01 / 1. szám
Emery Roth, the Hungarian immi grant founder of the architectural dynasty bearing his name. Richard Roth, Jr., Chairman of New York’s distinguished architectural firm of Emery Roth and Sons, represents the third generation of eminence of that family and organization in designing and shaping New York City’s two great skylines. The first, of course, is the worldfamous cluster of skyscrapers - the World Trade Center, the Pan Am Building, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the almost-forgotten Woolworth Building. The second, less well-known abroad perhaps, is the majestic line of great apartment houses and apartment hotels that forms the western border of New York’s Central Park - Central Park West. For more than half a century, these huge and grand structures have been lived in, painted, written about and filmed. And they stand as a living testament to one of 'New York’s greatest architects and designers - a man who is not known or recognized as he should be - Emery Roth, a Hungarian Jew who came to the United States a century ago and who placed his stamp upon New York City. In addition, he founded the firm that bears his name and that is now led by his grandson, Richard Roth, Jr. THREE GENERATIONS OF HUNGARIAN ARCHITECTS WHO CHANGED THE SKYLINE OF NEW YORK: RICHARD ROTH, JR. “. . . through the ranks ” After having been graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, Richard Roth, Jr. entered the family firm as a draftsman. He worked his way up “through the ranks” until he became a director of the organization during the time of New York City’s great wave of office building during the 1950’s and 1960’s. As a designer, Richard Jr. saw several of his apartment and office buildings win prestigious architectural and design awards. He became Chairman of Emery Roth and Sons in 1988. Emery Roth and Sons is now a major architectural organization specializing in high-rise office buildings and mixeduse building complexes. Indeed, more than 150 of these projects stand throughout the United States. Most noteworthy are the World Trade Center, the Pan Am Building and the Citicorp Center in New York City. World-wide Influence While the design and construction of Roth’s grandfather, Emery, were principally confined to New York City, Richard- continued next page 14 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW JANUARY 1990
