Samuel LeFrak: A maker of mini-cities

From the March issue: Samuel LeFrak used to joke that he had cement running through his veins, an allusion to his heritage as a third-generation builder. And with his large imprint on the metropolitan area — LeFrak City in Queens, Battery Park City downtown, and Newport in Jersey City being the most recognizable — LeFrak’s legacy is part of New York City’s DNA. LeFrak claimed that he was a man of the people, producing affordable housing for middle-income families and building developments himself, rather than contracting the work to outside firms. By way of contrast, he was quoted referring to Donald Trump as “Mr. Glitz and Ritz.”