Meshulam ben Abraham Frankel born to Nettie (nee Nache) Kleinfeld and Abish Frankel Bukochevich, Galicia, Poland then part of Austro-Hungarian Empire; Orthodox Jewish family; youngest of 10-6 boys + 4 girls; father scholarly "rabbi" - went into egg business.

Abish and Nettie Frankel, 1906

Emigrated to US via Bremerhaven, Germany - primary impetus was the draft.

Arrived Ellis island - moved to Desbrosses Street, Lower East Side; Kleinfeld relatives already settled - Okay Ice Cream Company.

Meshulam peddled Wrigley's chewing gum on Williamsburg Bridge; Befriended Edward Weinfeld - later NY Supreme Court Judge; cooled off in Third Street swimming tank, played in Tompkins Square Park - Nathan Straus gazebo.

'Kid Dictionary,' Evan at age twelve

Evan worked again at Highland, New York as supervisor - learned to ride horses.

Moved into Zeta Beta Tau fraternity at 114th St, Morningside Heights - to be in Columbia area; worked as guide at Commodore Hotel; took extension courses at Columbia.

Traveled as crew on SS Philadelphia to Europe.


With three friends in Rome, 1922, Evan is second from right

Left Paramount with Ross formed Ross Frankel, Incorporated, designers of "distinctive interiors and unusual fronts" for stores and offices. office on 40th street Manhattan.

The young president of Ross Frankel, Inc.

Moved to Briarcliff Lodge, Westchester, worked as waltzer with female guests.
'Imagine! I was riding a horse. I was a gentleman!' At Briarcliff Lodge, Westchester County, New York

The 'mile-long' right-hand-drive Packard, with Emerson and Chou Chou Thors in the ruble seat

Long term lease agreements between Ross Frankel and retail chains held!

Moved to penthouse, 5 Riverside Drive.

Evan traveled to Europe - Cannes, Paris, Salzburg to Munich, where he met Adolph Hitler, who had just become Chancellor. Then went on to Budapest and Vienna (introduced to Jacob Rothschild) - on to Venice (swam on the Lido), to Genoa and home - didn't fulfill his lifelong dream of attending Magdalen College at Oxford.

Met Bill Cleland, president of Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, and won contract awarded by Sam Bronfman to design and build offices for Seagram's on 2 floors of Chrysler Building.

With Bill Cleland (on Evan's left), president of the Joseph E. Seagram Company

The Frankel boys: (back row, left to right) Phil, Irving, Mayer, Dave, (front row) Aaron, father Abish, Evan

Romancing Lucille Ball at Arrowhead Springs Hotel

Ross Frankel designed Distilled Spirits Exhibit building for New York World Fair.

The Distilled Spirits Industry Exhibit building with its fifty-foot marquee, 1939 World Fair

Spent time in Woodstock, NY, then a well established artists compound for past 30 years. Met sculptors, Raoul Hague and Harvey Fite. Contemplated purchasing land in Woodstock.


In Woodstock: (left to right) John Small, Emerson Thors, Herman Neumann, Evan, flanked by the sons of John and Emerson, and Harvey Fite

Ross Frankel bought blockfront on 6th Ave. between 53/54th streets.

Ross Frankel awarded contract to build wooden towers located on South Shore of Long Island to house radar for early warning systems.

Atop the all-wood radar platform for costal defence at the beach in Montauk

Since he was heavily-engaged in doing defense work, Evan was exempted from military service.

Met Peggy Goldsmith ("Aunt Peggy"), picture editor at Time-Life and escorted her to many of the Broadway shows in which he had invested.

At the Stork Club with Peggy Goldsmith, 1944

Morris Lapidus left firm to go alone! Ed Kimmel hired as attorney, who encouraged real estate transactions

Visited the McCord house in East Hampton, 150 Hither Lane

In East Hampton with (left to right) John and Amy Small, and Chou Chou Thors

Sold 6th Ave property at sizable profit; created KFJ Ventures with Ed Kimmel and George Jaffen. Evan boasted making first $1.0 million in real estate profits.

Bought house and 15 acres at 150 Hither for either $21k or $25k! Newmann helped to create home to be visually aesthetic from inside to outside

(above) The McCord estate on Hither Lane at the time of purchase by Evan in 1946
(below) Only months later, the fomer carriage house refurbished

Evan backs Brigadoon on Broadway.

Bought 150 acres in East Hampton.

Evan backs Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Carol Channing.

Isaac Ross retires - Ross Frankel liquidates.

Met Sarah Churchill and Margaret Truman.

Worked with Walter Lowendah and Gian-Carlo Menotti in Rome on The Medium starring Ana Marie Alberghetti. Befriended Peter Ustinov. Attended premiere with Churchill and Truman.

Bought add'l 150 acres at between $50-$200/acre.
Arriving at the Sutton Place Theater with Sarah Churchill and Margaret Truman for the New York premiere of The Medium

Co-produced Gramercy Ghost, starring Sarah Churchill.

Backer of Billy Budd.

Appointed to first Planning Board in East Hampton.

Coronation of Queen Elizabeth - Evan attends as guest of Sarah Churchill.

Purchased commercial property on Newtown Lane, East Hampton: Odd Fellows Hall (turned into an art gallery;
a former post office launched as a revival movie house;
an old garage. Held properties for 20 years as a steward to enrich the town.

Erected Executive House, apartment building 225 East 46th Street; lobby dedicated as an art gallery.

Backer of Most Happy Fella.

Backer of Music Man.

Asked to help build synagogue in East Hampton Jacob Kaplan and Evan bought Borden estate for Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

Donated parcel of land on 57th Street to Federation of Jewish Philanthropies.

As member of the East Hampton Village Planning Board suggested to create an Architectural Board of Review.

Traveled extensively through Thailand, Jamaica, Rome, Florence, Geneva, St. Moritz, Dublin accumulating sculptures for property in East Hampton.

Bought 23 acre parcel which had once been the East Hampton Riding Club and turned the stables and barns into a commercial site which Sterns Dept. Store rented for many years preserving the integrity of the area coupled with needed retail.

At the Taj Mahal, 1968

Separated business relationship with Kimmel with Kimmel getting Evan's share of Executive House in exchange for Kimmel's share of partnership properties in East Hampton resulting in sole ownership of over 600 acres in East Hampton.

Jewish Center of the Hamptons membership = 35 families.

Elected Life Trustee of Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

Accumulated about 1000 acres in East Hampton of which 600 remained farmland.

Lady Bird Johnson invited Evan to ceremony at White House Rose Garden re beautification of the environment.

Evan created pact with neighboring land owners to protect double dunes between Indian Wells Highway and Maidstone Club, East Hampton.

Not reappointed to Village Planning Board as he had become very contentious about growth and direction of development of town.

East Hampton had second highest growth rate on Long Island.

Group for the South Fork formed to voice concern over planning and land use.

Joined Advisory Board to work on fund-raising for addition to East Hampton Library.

Gave up apartment at 5 Riverside Drive.

Initial plans for Jewish Center of the Hamptons sanctuary drawn up.

Evan assumed Presidency of Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

JCOH membership = 130 families

Evan elected to Board of Trustees Southampton Hospital.

Donated 100 acres in Woodstock, NY to Opus 40 Foundation in memory of John Small.

Became member of the Guild Hall board of trustees.

Symbolic groundbreaking at JCOH with NY State Attorney General Robert Abrams speaker

Town Board got rid of Planning Department (research arm of Planning Board).

Received honorary Doctorate from Southampton College of LIU.

Recruited architect Norman Jaffee pro-bono to design new sanctuary for Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

145 applications filed in EH for new residential subdivisions or commercial construction.

Spear-headed dissension over 7-Eleven 24-hour store in East Hampton.

Upzoning and controlled growth initiatives were election platform winners!

One of Evan's 'eloquent outrages.' Protesting the introduction of convenience stores to East Hampton, 1983

Final plan submitted by Jaffee for sanctuary inspired by destroyed synagogues in Eastern Europe.

"Evan Frankel was the most difficult client I have ever had, but the result is the very best building I have ever done." - Norman Jaffe

Jewish Center of the Hamptons membership = 300 families.

Dedication celebration at Jewish Center of the Hamptons with AG Abrams.

Evan resigned as President Jewish Center of the Hamptons - became Chairman of Board.

'at the bemah, the reader's platform: 'And now our president, Evan Frankel, has a few words for us'

Evan Frankel died.

In Bermuda with Emerson