Morris Cafritz

Morris Cafritz ( - June 13, 1964) was a Washington, D.C. real estate developer, and philanthropist. As CEO of the Cafritz Company, he was Washington, D.C.'s largest private developer from the late 1920's to the early 1960's.

Early life and education

Cafritz was born to Jewish parents, Nathan and Anna Cafritz, in the Russian Empire (Lithuania). Based on papers filed in court, Cafritz was born in 1888; however, the year of his birth is not known and Cafritz had often understated his age. Along with his 4 siblings—Sarah, Carrie, Edwin and William—he was brought to the United States by his parents in 1894. After briefly settling in New York, the family moved to Washington and operated a small grocery store on 24th and P Streets NW. Cafritz began his business career in 1904 by buying the Star Coal and Coke Company, at 315 Q Street, with a $1,400 loan from his father. In 1911, he owned a saloon, the Old-Timer's Bar, at 8th Street and K Street, Southeast, Washington, D.C.

He developed the Greenwich Forest neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland. He built the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel, at 14th and K Street. Cafritz built the Majestic Apartments.

Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Cafritz founded the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in 1948, funding it with $11.5 million.

Family In July 1929, Cafritz married Gwendolyn Detre de Surany, twenty years his junior. She was daughter of Hungarian immunologist, Dr Laszlo Detre de Surany, co-discoverer of the Wassermann test for syphilis, and his wife, Lillian Coblenzer, who settled at Washington in the 1920s and he became chief immunologist for the United States Public Health Service. Cafritz and Gwendolyn had 3 children: Calvin, Carter and Conrad. His son Conrad married Peggy Cooper Cafritz. When Gwendolyn died in 1988, her instructions to leave her entire estate to the foundation was challenged by her children, who were already multimillionaires. Their home was located on Foxhall Road and is now The Field School.

Morris Cafritz was a first cousin to famed violinist Jascha Heifetz.