Gerald D. Hines
Gerald D. Hines | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1925 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | 23 August 2020 (aged 95) |
| Occupation(s) | Real estate developer, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of Hines (real estate company) |
Gerald Douglas Hines (August 15, 1925 – August 23, 2020) was a prominent American real estate developer headquartered in Houston. He established and led Hines, a private real estate company based in Houston, which managed assets spanning 25 countries at the time of his passing.
Early life and education
Born on August 15, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, Hines was the son of Gordon and Myrte (née McConnell) Hines. His family had relocated from Nova Scotia in 1923 and traced their lineage to British loyalists active during the American Revolutionary War. After serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1943 to 1946, he obtained a mechanical engineering degree from Purdue University in 1948. He started his professional journey at American Blower Corp before moving to Houston and subsequently joining Texas Engineering.
Career
Upon moving to Houston in 1948, Hines entered into an engineering partnership and soon ventured into real estate development. In 1957, he founded Gerald D. Hines Interests, initially concentrating on warehouses and smaller office buildings. His major breakthrough occurred in 1967 when Shell Oil Company selected him to develop its downtown Houston headquarters. This project paved the way for landmark developments such as The Galleria, Pennzoil Place, and Transco Tower (now known as Williams Tower), contributing to a portfolio exceeding 900 projects. Following the collapse of communism in 1989, Hines broadened his reach into Europe with ventures in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, he held the position of chairman at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas between 1981 and 1983.
In recognition of his pioneering contributions to efficient and innovative commercial building design, Hines was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2001.
He passed leadership of his company to his son Jeffrey in 1990. By 2005, The Lipsey Company identified Hines as one of the largest real estate enterprises worldwide, with extensive operations both domestically and internationally. The firm collaborated with esteemed architects such as I. M. Pei, Philip Johnson, Cesar Pelli, Frank Gehry, and Robert A.M. Stern.
At the time of his death, Hines' holdings included over 1,900 properties encompassing office spaces, residential units, mixed-use developments, industrial/logistics facilities, hospitality venues, medical centers, retail locations, sports arenas, and master-planned communities. With assets under management valued around $144.1 billion, Hines ranked among the most significant real estate organizations globally. As of 2016, his personal net worth was estimated at approximately US$1.3 billion.
Philanthropy
Gerald D. Hines contributed $7 million to the University of Houston's College of Architecture, which was subsequently renamed the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. Additionally, he played a significant role in funding the development of the Chabad Jewish Community Center located in Aspen, Colorado.
Personal life
In 1952, Hines wed Dorothy Schwarz, a member of the Schwarz family known for founding F.A.O. Schwarz toy stores. They had two children together, Jeff and Jennifer, before their marriage ended in divorce in 1980.
Following medical advice recommending heart bypass surgery in his early fifties, Hines embraced a vegetarian lifestyle and committed to a disciplined exercise routine, aligning with research by Dean Ornish. In 1981, he married Barbara Fritzsche, a German-born artist and daughter of Holocaust survivors. The couple had two children named Serena and Trevor.
Hines passed away on August 23, 2020, at his residence in Connecticut shortly after marking his 95th birthday.
Awards
- 1979: Received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- The Urban Land Institute honors him through the ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition bearing his name
- 2000: Awarded the Honor Award by the National Building Museum
- 2002: Recipient of the J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionary Urban Development from the Urban Land Institute
- 2004: Honored with the Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
- 2008: Earned the Visionary Leadership in Real Estate Development Award, a lifetime achievement recognition from Harvard University
- 2009: Alongside his wife Barbara, received the Guardian of the Human Spirit Award from Holocaust Museum Houston
- 2012: Conferred an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Houston
See also
External links
- Official Website
- Emporis: Developments of Hines
- Hines, Gerald and Paul Hobby. Gerald Hines Oral History, Houston Oral History Project, December 13, 2007.
- Interview with Gerald Hines 2013, William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library, University of Houston Digital Library.
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1925 births
- 2020 deaths
- American chief executives
- American people of British descent
- American philanthropists
- American businesspeople in real estate
- Businesspeople from Houston
- Hines Interests Limited Partnership
- Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
- People from Gary, Indiana
- Purdue University College of Engineering alumni
- American billionaires