Looking Back: J. Clydesdale Cushman

From July issue: In the early part of the last century, as skyscrapers grew taller and more complicated to oversee, J. Clydesdale Cushman laid the foundation for a modern system of building management. Cushman was born into a real estate family: His father, Don Alonzo Cushman, founded D.A. Cushman Realty Corp., which developed and owned many of the buildings in Chelsea. (Cushman Row on West 20th Street remains a testament to Don Alonzo’s career.)  In 1917, J. Clydesdale Cushman co-founded Cushman & Wakefield, a property management company, out of an office just big enough for two employees.