A. Alfred Taubman

A. Alfred Taubman was an American real estate magnate, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who revolutionized the shopping mall industry. He founded Taubman Centers, one of the nation's leading real estate investment trusts, and later became the chairman of the famed auction house Sotheby's. His innovative approach to retail development and his extensive philanthropic work, particularly in Michigan, left a lasting impact on urban landscapes and cultural institutions. Taubman's life was also marked by a significant federal conviction related to a price-fixing scandal with Christie's.

Early life and education

Adolph Alfred Taubman was born in Pontiac, Michigan, to German-Jewish immigrants. He showed an early aptitude for business and design, reportedly sketching building plans as a teenager. After graduating from Pontiac Central High School, he attended the University of Michigan with aspirations of becoming an architect but left to serve in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Following the war, he briefly returned to his studies at the University of Michigan before embarking on his entrepreneurial path, leveraging a loan from his father to start a small building company.

Business career

Taubman's business career was defined by his transformative vision for retail. In 1950, he founded the Taubman Company, which later became Taubman Centers. He pioneered the concept of the "superregional mall," focusing on affluent suburbs, superior design, and anchor stores like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. His iconic properties included Woodfield Mall in Illinois, The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey, and Beverly Center in Los Angeles. In 1983, he led a consortium to acquire the struggling Sotheby's, rescuing the London-based auction house from financial peril and serving as its chairman, where he applied retail marketing principles to the art world. His other ventures included investments in A&W Restaurants and The Irvine Company.

Philanthropy and civic engagement

Taubman was a major philanthropist, donating hundreds of millions to medical, educational, and cultural causes. His most significant gifts were to the University of Michigan, including the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute and the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. He also made substantial contributions to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Brown University, and the Harvard Medical School. In civic life, he was deeply involved in Detroit's revitalization, serving as a board member for organizations like the Detroit Institute of Arts and playing a key role in efforts to revive the city's downtown core.

Personal life and legacy

Taubman was married twice: first to Reva Kolodney, with whom he had three children, including Robert S. Taubman, who succeeded him as CEO of Taubman Centers; and later to Judith Mazor, a former Sotheby's executive. He was known for his lavish lifestyle, maintaining homes in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City. His legacy is cemented in the physical landscape of American retail, the survival and modernization of Sotheby's, and the numerous institutions that bear his name, which continue to advance research, education, and the arts.

Legal issues and later years

In 2001, Taubman's reputation was severely damaged when he was convicted of conspiring with Sir Anthony Tennant, the former chairman of rival Christie's, to fix commission rates in a high-profile price-fixing scandal. He served approximately nine months in a federal prison in Rochester, Minnesota. Despite the conviction, which he always contested, he remained active in his companies and philanthropy after his release. A. Alfred Taubman died of a heart attack at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 2015.

Category:American businesspeople Category:American philanthropists Category:American real estate developers