Milwaukee philanthropist Joseph Zilber dies at 92
Michael Sears
Joseph Zilber meets with members of the Boys & Girls Club named for him as he announces a Zilber Neighborhood Initiative grant in 2008.
Published on: 3/19/2010
Joseph J. Zilber - the son of Russian immigrants who grew up above the family's north side Milwaukee grocery store and went on to become a real estate tycoon and, in his later years, one of the city's biggest philanthropists - died Friday morning at the age of 92.
Zilber suffered bouts of pneumonia during the past year, and he spent much of his time in recent years at his home in Hawaii.
"But he wanted to come back to Milwaukee," said Michael P. Mervis, vice president of Zilber Ltd., who announced Zilber's death Friday.
On Monday, Zilber flew back here, saying he wanted to attend a company meeting planned for next week, Mervis said.
He went directly to the Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa, which he helped build in 2004, and was talking with old friends, Mervis said.
Zilber died at the hospice Friday morning.
"Today is a sad day in the city of Milwaukee," Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement. "With the passing of Joe Zilber, we have lost one of our finest champions, a kind and generous man and a longtime friend.
"Joe was a philanthropic giant who worked tirelessly to improve our community," he said. "Milwaukeeans of all ages have been and will continue to be beneficiaries of his spirited generosity, his hopeful vision and his strength and will to make life better for so many."
U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in a statement: "Joe Zilber built Milwaukee in the second half of the 20th and into the 21st centuries. He had made significant contributions to strengthen education, health care and the community. I was proud to call him my friend."
Father Robert Wild, president of Marquette University, said: "Joe Zilber made an immeasurable difference in the lives of Milwaukee's citizens and demonstrated again and again, in words and deeds, his steadfast commitment to the welfare of this community. . . . We will all mourn his passing, even as we celebrate the remarkable gift of his life."
As he neared his 90th birthday, he decided to do something different. He began to give away money - lots of money and very publicly - for an array of projects. He credited his late wife, Vera, for inspiring his new efforts.
"We were married 61 years," Zilber said in 2008. "We had a little pact between us that everything that we have will go to charity. And I tell you, one day I woke up and said to myself, 'I'm 90 years old . . . and instead of leaving it to all the trustees to give away, I said, I'd like to have the fun of giving it away myself.' "
And that is just what Zilber did.
In 2007 he made headlines when he donated $30 million to the Marquette University Law School for scholarships and building purposes.
He pledged $10 million for the creation of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Public Health.The Milwaukee Jewish Federation received a $3 million gift from the Joseph and Vera Zilber Foundation.
In 2008 he announced the largest and most sweeping philanthropic endeavor in the city's history - a $50 million, 10-year commitment aimed at improving the city's poorest neighborhoods. Called the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative, it's funded through the Zilber Family Foundation. Grants will be made over 10 years to fund quality of life plans developed by residents to improve their neighborhoods and support programs that help improve the lives of residents.
The first of the two neighborhoods selected is Lindsay Heights, the north side neighborhood where Zilber grew up. The second is the south side Clarke Square neighborhood.
"These funds alone, $50 million, cannot do the job, and I know that," he said, hoping his money could be leveraged into $200 million for programs. "But with everybody in the city coming along and doing it and providing funds, it will work."
He said he hoped the effort would reverse the school dropout rate and improve education, reduce family violence, and assist those with substance abuse.
For most of his life, Zilber flew below the philanthropic radar. That began to change in 2004 when he committed his foundation to give $1 million for the construction of what's now called the Aurora VNA Zilber Family Hospice in Wauwatosa. He later announced $1.5 million to support the hospice and an additional one to be built.
"It was then a neighborhood of poor people," he said.
"My mother worked from 6 in the morning till 10 at night. . . . My father had three jobs. . . . My parents instilled in me hard work."
He graduated from Washington High School and earned a business degree from Marquette University.
He went to Marquette University Law School and graduated first in his class in 1941.
At Marquette he met his wife, the former Vera Feldman. They married in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army and returned to Milwaukee in 1943.
After getting turned down for a job at a law firm, Zilber began working for the late George Bockl, a Milwaukee real estate developer, who hired him to close purchases for $5 a deal.
In 1949 he struck out on his own and started Towne Realty.
That was just the beginning. His company bought office buildings downtown and elsewhere, and renovated the Riverside Theater. He owned movie theaters and nursing homes. He built major housing projects for the city and university dormitories in the Midwest. He built dozens of churches across the city, including the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
In the 1970s, Zilber's business interests expanded to the Sun Belt, including thousands of condo units, resorts, time-share properties and other investments. He even got government contracts to build the rocket launching gantry at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and missile silos in North Dakota.
"This is his hobby, chasing the deal," said the late Daniel Tishberg, one of his early partners, in a 1999 interview with the Small Business Times. "He likes it too much. He doesn't have any other hobbies. I like to play gin rummy and play a little golf. Joe just loved to make deals."
Zilber didn't disagree with that assessment.
"Absolutely, I know everything that goes on in this business - I hope to," he said. "That's what I live for."
One major project in recent years has been the development of the old Pabst Brewery, now called The Brewery. Zilber bought much of the Pabst complex and has sold buildings to other developers for projects including apartments, offices and retail space. He added a parking structure.
"The Pabst will be something that you'll be proud of, I'll be proud of, the city will be proud of," he said in 2007.
Asked why he would take on such high-stakes projects at his age, he answered, "Why not?"
Perhaps his strangest and most poignant deal involved the property of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Zilber and his wife were appalled when a judge approved the sale of the property. Zilber raised $407,225 - mostly his own money - to buy the property so it could be destroyed. The money went to the families of the victims.
Zilber's wife, Vera, died in 2003. A son, James, died in 1997.
Survivors include daughters Marcy Jackson and Marilyn Zilber, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Monaghan Ballroom of the Alumni Memorial Union at Marquette University, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. Interment will follow at Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43rd St.
The family suggests contributions to the endowment fund of the Zilber Family Hospice, care of the VNA.
Zilber suffered bouts of pneumonia during the past year, and he spent much of his time in recent years at his home in Hawaii.
"But he wanted to come back to Milwaukee," said Michael P. Mervis, vice president of Zilber Ltd., who announced Zilber's death Friday.
On Monday, Zilber flew back here, saying he wanted to attend a company meeting planned for next week, Mervis said.
He went directly to the Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa, which he helped build in 2004, and was talking with old friends, Mervis said.
Zilber died at the hospice Friday morning.
"Today is a sad day in the city of Milwaukee," Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement. "With the passing of Joe Zilber, we have lost one of our finest champions, a kind and generous man and a longtime friend.
"Joe was a philanthropic giant who worked tirelessly to improve our community," he said. "Milwaukeeans of all ages have been and will continue to be beneficiaries of his spirited generosity, his hopeful vision and his strength and will to make life better for so many."
U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in a statement: "Joe Zilber built Milwaukee in the second half of the 20th and into the 21st centuries. He had made significant contributions to strengthen education, health care and the community. I was proud to call him my friend."
Father Robert Wild, president of Marquette University, said: "Joe Zilber made an immeasurable difference in the lives of Milwaukee's citizens and demonstrated again and again, in words and deeds, his steadfast commitment to the welfare of this community. . . . We will all mourn his passing, even as we celebrate the remarkable gift of his life."
Tycoon to philanthropist
Zilber spent a lifetime in business doing deals and building a real estate and development empire that became the stuff of legend.As he neared his 90th birthday, he decided to do something different. He began to give away money - lots of money and very publicly - for an array of projects. He credited his late wife, Vera, for inspiring his new efforts.
"We were married 61 years," Zilber said in 2008. "We had a little pact between us that everything that we have will go to charity. And I tell you, one day I woke up and said to myself, 'I'm 90 years old . . . and instead of leaving it to all the trustees to give away, I said, I'd like to have the fun of giving it away myself.' "
And that is just what Zilber did.
In 2007 he made headlines when he donated $30 million to the Marquette University Law School for scholarships and building purposes.
He pledged $10 million for the creation of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Public Health.The Milwaukee Jewish Federation received a $3 million gift from the Joseph and Vera Zilber Foundation.
In 2008 he announced the largest and most sweeping philanthropic endeavor in the city's history - a $50 million, 10-year commitment aimed at improving the city's poorest neighborhoods. Called the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative, it's funded through the Zilber Family Foundation. Grants will be made over 10 years to fund quality of life plans developed by residents to improve their neighborhoods and support programs that help improve the lives of residents.
The first of the two neighborhoods selected is Lindsay Heights, the north side neighborhood where Zilber grew up. The second is the south side Clarke Square neighborhood.
"These funds alone, $50 million, cannot do the job, and I know that," he said, hoping his money could be leveraged into $200 million for programs. "But with everybody in the city coming along and doing it and providing funds, it will work."
He said he hoped the effort would reverse the school dropout rate and improve education, reduce family violence, and assist those with substance abuse.
For most of his life, Zilber flew below the philanthropic radar. That began to change in 2004 when he committed his foundation to give $1 million for the construction of what's now called the Aurora VNA Zilber Family Hospice in Wauwatosa. He later announced $1.5 million to support the hospice and an additional one to be built.
Modest roots
Born to immigrants from turn-of-the-century Russia, Zilber grew up above the grocery store his parents ran near N. 10th St. and W. Meinecke Ave."It was then a neighborhood of poor people," he said.
"My mother worked from 6 in the morning till 10 at night. . . . My father had three jobs. . . . My parents instilled in me hard work."
He graduated from Washington High School and earned a business degree from Marquette University.
He went to Marquette University Law School and graduated first in his class in 1941.
At Marquette he met his wife, the former Vera Feldman. They married in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army and returned to Milwaukee in 1943.
After getting turned down for a job at a law firm, Zilber began working for the late George Bockl, a Milwaukee real estate developer, who hired him to close purchases for $5 a deal.
In 1949 he struck out on his own and started Towne Realty.
The building of Milwaukee
Towne built thousands of basic homes in Milwaukee, many sold to World War II veterans and their families in the 1950s. The business expanded to include both construction and mortgages, with many homes assembled in a factory in Cudahy.That was just the beginning. His company bought office buildings downtown and elsewhere, and renovated the Riverside Theater. He owned movie theaters and nursing homes. He built major housing projects for the city and university dormitories in the Midwest. He built dozens of churches across the city, including the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
In the 1970s, Zilber's business interests expanded to the Sun Belt, including thousands of condo units, resorts, time-share properties and other investments. He even got government contracts to build the rocket launching gantry at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and missile silos in North Dakota.
"This is his hobby, chasing the deal," said the late Daniel Tishberg, one of his early partners, in a 1999 interview with the Small Business Times. "He likes it too much. He doesn't have any other hobbies. I like to play gin rummy and play a little golf. Joe just loved to make deals."
Zilber didn't disagree with that assessment.
"Absolutely, I know everything that goes on in this business - I hope to," he said. "That's what I live for."
Pabst Brewery project
In the 1980s, a holding company, Zilber Ltd., was created for Towne Realty, Towne Investments and other privately held interests. The firm now owns or is developing property in nine states.One major project in recent years has been the development of the old Pabst Brewery, now called The Brewery. Zilber bought much of the Pabst complex and has sold buildings to other developers for projects including apartments, offices and retail space. He added a parking structure.
"The Pabst will be something that you'll be proud of, I'll be proud of, the city will be proud of," he said in 2007.
Asked why he would take on such high-stakes projects at his age, he answered, "Why not?"
Perhaps his strangest and most poignant deal involved the property of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Zilber and his wife were appalled when a judge approved the sale of the property. Zilber raised $407,225 - mostly his own money - to buy the property so it could be destroyed. The money went to the families of the victims.
Zilber's wife, Vera, died in 2003. A son, James, died in 1997.
Survivors include daughters Marcy Jackson and Marilyn Zilber, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Monaghan Ballroom of the Alumni Memorial Union at Marquette University, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. Interment will follow at Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43rd St.
The family suggests contributions to the endowment fund of the Zilber Family Hospice, care of the VNA.
