William Levitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Levitt
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1964
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William Jaird Levitt
February 11, 1907 New York City, US
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| Died | January 28, 1994 (aged 86) |
| Alma mater | New York University (no degree) |
| Occupation | Real estate developer |
| Employer | Levitt & Sons |
| Known for | American suburban development |
| Spouse(s) | Rhoda Kirshner (divorced) Alice D. Kenny (divorced) Simone Korchin |
| Children | 2, and 2 by adoption |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Unit | Naval Construction Battalions |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Jaird Levitt (born February 11, 1907 – died January 28, 1994) was an American real-estate developer. He was a pioneer in building large numbers of homes quickly. As the head of Levitt & Sons, he is often called the "father of modern American suburbia" because he helped create the idea of planned communities outside of cities. Time Magazine even named him one of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century."
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Levitt was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1907. His family had moved to the United States from Russia and Austria. His father, Abraham Levitt, was a real estate lawyer and investor. William had a younger brother named Alfred.
William went to public schools and then attended New York University for three years. However, he left college before he finished his degree.
Levitt & Sons: Building Homes
Starting Out (1920s–1930s)
In 1929, William's father, Abraham, started a company called Levitt & Sons. At first, the company built fancy, expensive homes, mostly on Long Island in New York. William Levitt was the company president. He managed most of the work, while his brother Alfred designed the houses.
After World War II: A Housing Revolution
During World War II, William Levitt served in the Navy as a lieutenant. When he came back from the war, he saw a huge need for affordable homes. Many soldiers were returning, and families were growing (this was called the baby boom). There simply weren't enough houses for everyone.
Levitt had an idea to build homes faster and cheaper. He used a method similar to an assembly line in a factory. Instead of one team building a whole house, different teams would do specific jobs. For example, one team would put up walls, then another would do the roofing, and so on. This made building much more efficient.
He also found ways to save money. He bought building materials like lumber directly from factories. He even built his own factory to make nails! This helped him avoid extra costs.
Levitt & Sons' first big success was a community called Levittown, New York. It was built on a large area of land near Hempstead, Long Island. Each house was built in just 27 steps. Because of these methods, Levitt could sell fully furnished homes with modern appliances for a very low price, around $8,000. For many returning soldiers, the G.I. Bill and government help meant they only needed about $400 upfront.
In 1950, William Levitt was featured on the cover of Time magazine. The headline called his work "a new way of life."
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Levitt & Sons built many other communities. These included over 17,000 homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and towns like Willingboro Township, New Jersey and "Belair at Bowie" in Bowie, Maryland.
In 1954, William took full control of Levitt & Sons after his brother Alfred left. The company became public in 1960, meaning people could buy shares in it. Levitt & Sons also built homes in other countries, such as Levittown, Puerto Rico, and in France.
By the late 1960s, William Levitt was a very rich man. He owned a large mansion and a big yacht named after his third wife.
Challenges with Fairness
Sadly, Levitt's communities were not open to everyone. For a long time, Levitt refused to sell his homes to African Americans. His sales agreements even tried to prevent people from reselling their homes to Black families.
These policies led to protests and legal challenges. In 1957, a Jewish couple sold their home to the first Black family to live in a Levitt home. In 1963, there were civil rights protests in Bowie, Maryland, against Levitt's policies. Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) spoke out against his unfair rules. The government also considered stopping mortgages for his new projects.
Levitt continued to fight these challenges in court. However, the Supreme Court of the United States eventually refused to hear his case, which meant his policies were challenged. Levitt has been criticized for these unfair housing practices that affected African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans.
Selling the Company
After building more than 140,000 houses around the world, Levitt sold his company to ITT in 1967 for $92 million. He continued to lead the company for ITT until 1972, working on new housing projects in places like Palm Coast, Florida.
Later Years and Legacy
After leaving ITT, William Levitt tried to start new home-building companies. However, he was not able to repeat his earlier success. His new businesses struggled, and he faced financial difficulties.
William Levitt passed away on January 28, 1994, at the age of 86, due to kidney disease.
Levitt's work changed how many Americans lived. He became a symbol of the new suburban growth. While he didn't invent suburbs, his methods made it possible for many families to own their own homes outside of big cities after World War II.
He was sometimes called "The King of Suburbia" or "Inventor of the Suburb." At his peak, he was building a new house every 11 minutes! Time magazine recognized his importance by naming him one of the "100 Most Important People of the 20th Century" in 1998.
Personal Life
William Levitt married Rhoda Kirshner in 1929. They had two sons, William Junior and James. They divorced in 1959. Later that year, Levitt married Alice D. Kenny and adopted her two daughters. In 1969, he divorced Alice and married Simone Korchin, a French art dealer.
Images for kids
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William Levitt in 1964, with advertisements for Levittown.
