Occupation Real estate developer Parents Sara Shomof, Hanan Shomof | Spouse(s) Aline Shomof | |
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Children 5, including Eric Shomof | ||
Video honoring izek shomof leo pustilnikov
Izek Shomof (born c. 1959) is an Israeli-born, American real estate developer, investor, one-time film producer and former restaurateur. Born in Tel Aviv, he dropped out of high school to open restaurants and an autoshop. Since the 1990s, he has restored many historic buildings in Downtown Los Angeles. He has been honored for his philanthropic work in reducing homelessness in Los Angeles.
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Early life
Izek Shomof was born circa 1960 in Tel Aviv, Israel. His parents, Hanan and Sara Shomoff, owned a bar in Tel Aviv until they emigrated to Los Angeles, California in 1973. His brother, Jacob, owned a restaurant in Los Angeles.
Shomof went to high school in Hollywood from 14 to 16, when he dropped out.
Career
After working in his brother's restaurant, Shomof opened his own restaurant, Maxim, in Downtown Los Angeles, at 16. By the age of 18, he had owned three restaurants, and he opened an autoshop on Pico Boulevard called Star Auto Body.
Shomof purchased Spring Tower Lofts, a derelict building located at 639 South Spring Street in the Spring Street Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles for US$1 million in 1999. He sold it in 2000. Meanwhile, he also acquired and restored the Premiere Towers at 621 South Spring Street.
As an investor in Bristol 423, Shomof acquired the historic Leland Hotel, the King Edward Hotel, the Hotel Alexandria and the Baltimore Hotel with his son Eric and investor Naty Saidoff in 2012. Additionally, they acquired the Santa Fe Lofts at Sixth Street and Main Street, the Binford Lofts at 837 Traction Avenue, the Title Insurance Building at 433 South Spring Street and its adjacent building at 419 South Spring Street, the Maxfield Building at 819 South Santee Street and the Capitol Garment Building at 217 East Eighth Street. By 2013, Saidoff and Shomof were suing each other over the ownership of the buildings.
Shomof produced For the Love of Money, a crime film starring James Caan, Jeffrey Tambor and Edward Furlong, in 2012.
In 2013, Shomof purchased the Sears, Roebuck & Company Mail Order Building in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles for US$29 million from Mark Weinstein, another developer. Shomoff expressed his intention to transform the entire neighborhood. By 2014, he began the construction of a 22-story tower at 4th and Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles.
Shomof purchased the Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, California in 2015. Additionally, he made a US$80 million bid on the Revel Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Shomof has not added seismic retrofit to some historic buildings he restored in Downtown Los Angeles. His son Eric has stated that it was unnecessary, as they survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Philanthropy
Shomof believes homelessness must end on Skid Row, as it is "inhumane". With his business partner Leo Pustilnikov, Shomof was honored by the LAMP Community, a non-profit organization which aims to prevent homelessness in Los Angeles, in 2015.
Personal life
Shomof has a wife, Israeli-born Aline, and five children. They reside in Beverly Hills, California. He collects cars, and he owns "Ferrari 360, Shelby Cobra, Chevrolet Corvette C1 and NASCAR race cars".