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Arthur Imperatore Sr.

From Alfawiki
Arthur Edward Imperatore Sr.
Born (1925-07-08) 8 July 1925 (age 101)
West New York, New Jersey, U.S.
Died18 November 2020(2020-11-18) (aged 95)
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, sports franchise owner
Years active1947–2020
Known forFounder and chief executive of NY Waterway; former owner of Colorado Rockies (NHL) franchise

Arthur Edward Imperatore Sr. (July 8, 1925 – November 18, 2020) was a prominent American entrepreneur and sports franchise owner based in New Jersey. He gained widespread recognition as the founder and chief executive of NY Waterway, a leading ferry transportation company.[1][2][3][4] Following his service as a navigator in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, Imperatore co-founded A-P-A Transport Corp. alongside his brothers. In 1978, he acquired the Colorado Rockies hockey franchise and divested it three years later. That same year marked his purchase of waterfront land in Weehawken, New Jersey, where he envisioned a residential project complemented by a ferry system that eventually grew into NY Waterway with a fleet comprising 36 vessels.

Early life

Born on July 8, 1925, in West New York, New Jersey, Imperatore was the ninth child among ten siblings in an Italian-American family headed by grocers Eugene and Teresa Imperatore.[5] During his youth, he frequently utilized ferries on the Hudson River to attend games at Yankee Stadium. His military service involved navigating B-24 and B-29 bomber aircraft within the United States Army Air Corps throughout the Second World War.[5][6]

Career

In the year 1947, Imperatore partnered with his brothers Eugene, Arnold, George, and Harold to launch a trucking enterprise using a surplus vehicle from the U.S. Army. This venture evolved into A-P-A Transport Corp., which became the fourth-largest interstate freight trucking company operating nationwide until its closure in February 2002.

Imperatore's purchase of the Colorado Rockies hockey team occurred in 1978 when he acquired it from Denver oil entrepreneur Jack Vickers. His intention was to maintain the team’s presence in Denver before relocating it to the forthcoming Meadowlands Sports Complex near New Jersey scheduled to open in 1980. However, this relocation plan alienated many fans. Prior to moving the franchise fully, he sold the team to Buffalo-based cable executive Peter Gilbert; this transaction received unanimous approval from the NHL Board of Governors in 1981.

That same year marked Imperatore’s acquisition of approximately 2.5 miles of waterfront property spanning Weehawken and West New York from bankrupt railroad company Penn Central for $7.5 million. The site included disused rail yards intended for residential development. To address commuting challenges posed by congested bridges and tunnels into Manhattan, he initiated the NY Waterway ferry operation in 1986 connecting Weehawken with Manhattan. Initially criticized as "Arthur's Folly" due to only five passengers aboard its inaugural trip, NY Waterway expanded significantly to operate a fleet of 36 ferries alongside approximately 80 buses that transport around 32,000 commuters daily while stimulating waterfront revitalization.

In addition to transportation ventures, Imperatore opened an upscale dining establishment named Arthur's Landing in Weehawken along the Hudson River in 1989. The restaurant ceased operations in 2009 and was succeeded by another venue by the year 2013. At one point during his development efforts, he envisioned creating a waterfront community reminiscent of Venice on New Jersey’s Hudson River shoreline.

Personal life

Imperatore resided in Fort Lee, New Jersey in a residence that was initially constructed by the mobster Albert Anastasia, and subsequently owned by the property developer Del Webb as well as the comedian Buddy Hackett. He was married to Mei-Ling Yee-Imperatore and fathered one son and one daughter, along with four stepchildren. In 1988, he was listed among the wealthiest Americans on the Forbes 400. Imperatore passed away on November 18, 2020, following a prolonged illness.

Honors

The Arthur E. Imperatore School of Sciences and Arts at Stevens Institute of Technology located in Hoboken, New Jersey bears his name. Additionally, he was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2017.

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Stonington, Joel "A New Ferry Terminal, the Same Fretful Commute", The New York Times, March 18, 2009. Accessed February 8, 2010.
  2. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. Bagli. "Settlement Is Reached in Ferry Case", The New York Times, July 18, 2006. Accessed February 8, 2010.
  3. ↑ Bagli, Charles V.; and Flynn, Kevin. "Harbor Master: A Fleet and How It Grew; Ferry Operator's Dominance Draws Rivals' Anger", The New York Times, July 22, 2003. Accessed February 8, 2010.
  4. ↑ Ruffino, Elissa . "Ferry King Arthur Imperatore Sr. Joins the National Italian American Foundation Board of Directors", Press Release, March 20, 2003, National Italian-American Foundation, found at National Italian-American Foundation website Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine and Italian Voice, April 3, 2002, found at Highbeam website. Accessed February 8, 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ NY Waterway Founder Arthur Imperatore dead at 95
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