The Kalikows

It is with enormous pride and pleasure that I present Kalikow: 100 Years of Excellence. As the third-generation owner and president of Kalikow, I take great satisfaction in the accomplishments of a company with tenure that few can emulate.

In the 100 years of Kalikow, the company has developed thousands of apartments and millions of square feet of commercial office and retail space in the New York metropolitan region. Over the past 100 years, Kalikow has literally helped shape the skyline of New York City, from the walkups in Brooklyn and Queens to the massive skyscrapers of Manhattan. Against a backdrop of an ever-evolving city, Kalikow contributed immensely to the real estate, business, and political and civic fabric of New York. And that is precisely why it is important that this narrative provide a century-long context for this wonderful city to which Kalikow owes a great debt of gratitude.

Looking back over the past century, I am, on the one hand, amazed at all we at Kalikow have accomplished, but, on the other hand, I am not surprised, given the level of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice it took to create and maintain a very successful 100-year-old company. And, for that, I thank the past generations of the Kalikow family and the thousands of hardworking and dedicated employees whom we have always considered as members of our extended family.

My pride in the past is mirrored by my optimism for the future. I am confident that future generations of Kalikows, and, in particular, my daughter, Kathryn, and son, Nicholas, will continue the tradition of excellence of this century-old business.

The best way I can sum it all up is by calling on my great love and affection for Italian culture, cuisine, couture, and cars. When the Italians celebrate great occasions, one frequently hears the expression “Cent’Anni”, which roughly translates to “Healthy Life for 100 years.” Well, let’s all raise our glasses to Kalikow as we jointly proclaim “Cent’Anni!” and best wishes for the next 100 years.

Peter S. Kalikow

President, HJ Kalikow

As a kid, I always admired my dad. He has a presence that is undeniably and uniquely his own: steadfast, undaunted, shrewd, loyal—a big personality. He is beyond inimitable. I’d like to think some of his traits rubbed off on me. After all, my mother often told me, “You’re just like your father!” which was both a compliment and an exclamation of exasperation.

Growing up, I knew he was a “real estate developer,” but I didn’t fully understand what that meant, nor did I appreciate the scope of his accomplishments. He built the building I grew up in. To me, this remarkable feat was perfectly normal. When we would walk in our neighborhood, he’d point out a skyscraper he developed (a frequent occurrence) and, truth be told, it came as no surprise—my father is a builder through and through.

My dad (or “PK” as everyone calls him) is a man who gets things done. He is an ambitious visionary and task-oriented—to say the least. His tireless dedication is evident not only in his work, but in his hobbies and philanthropy. Half measures do not exist to him. If you do something, you do it to the best of your ability, and you do it to completion. The proof is in the pudding in his unequivocal mark on New York City’s history. New York City’s history is his history.

As a child growing up in a real estate family himself, my father effortlessly absorbed the world around him and demonstrated a preternatural understanding of business. It was apparent to all that he would continue in his family’s footsteps and bring the Kalikow family name from well-regarded to iconic.

To fully appreciate all that he is and has achieved, it is necessary to learn about the people who made him. Throughout my life, I have been privileged to hear many great stories about my family, the people whose passion, hard work, intuition, and love of New York City helped narrate its growth and carve its skyline.

As a member of the fourth generation, I feel that taking up the mantle of a legacy that traces back to the early 1900s without chronicling it would be an egregious omission and an almost selfish act. We have taken the time to detail this history beyond the anecdotes and celebrate the contributions of all the individuals involved.

The Kalikow family name is synonymous with New York real estate, but the Kalikow family legacy is much more. It is a legacy entrenched in the American dream itself, an ideal that, at its core, connects us all to one another and to the generations who have come before and those who will come after. We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Kathryn H. Kalikow

Principal, HJ Kalikow

While I was growing up, my father, Peter Kalikow, always taught me to dream big and to take risks. As a real estate developer in New York City, he knew a lot about this. Whether he was building a 49-story office building in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, or pioneering the invention of an entirely new car, my father was a visionary, and he wasn’t afraid to take a chance on himself. He believed in his goals even when no one else did and, above all, never let failures hold him back. I believe that to be one of the greatest keys to his and HJ Kalikow’s sustained success.

From the time I was a child, I can remember real estate being an integral part of my family. I vividly recall riding around in the car with my dad as he narrated the captivating histories of various architectural landmarks, including our family’s own, in New York. Therefore, I naturally developed a deep appreciation for the rich history of New York real estate as well as a profound sense of pride in my family’s pivotal contribution to it.

While these experiences helped to cultivate my admiration for architecture and art, they also showed me the true meaning of legacy. My father is the third generation of a real estate family who has been extremely successful and influential in New York City. Some may have been content to sit back and simply enjoy certain privileges that come with the formidable Kalikow name, but not my father. He wanted a legacy of his own, to build upon the accomplishments of his father and grandfather, and to do even greater things. It wasn’t enough to just accept the already existing legacy of the Kalikow name; he wanted to transcend it.

Watching my father do exactly that with such determination and passion is what has inspired me to pursue my own dreams and forge my own unique Kalikow legacy along the way. Although buildings and film appear to have little in common, the skills required to succeed at creating either are the same: the ability to see the beauty in potential where others cannot; the ability to envision the future and then construct it from nothing; and a whole lot of passion, creativity, and confidence in the face of risk. I credit my father and the generations of Kalikows who came before for instilling me with these instinctive qualities.

While my legacy is still being written, my father’s is firmly cemented into the fabric of New York City through his prestigious buildings and his selfless dedication to the people who live here.