Born October 29, 1926 to Emil and Isabelle Papert in Manhattan, Fred Papert attended elementary school in Manhattan and high school in Miami.¹ After graduating from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism, Papert worked at numerous advertising agencies including Y&R and Kenyon and Eckhert.^2,3 In 1960, Papert co-founded the successful advertising agency, Papert Koenig Lois, with Julian Koenig and George Lois.⁴ In 1962, Papert Koenig Lois became the second agency in the United States to go public.⁵ Notable agency clients included: Maypo Cereal, The New York Herald Tribune, Xerox, Jacob Javits’ 1962 U.S. Senate Campaign, and Robert F. Kennedy’s 1964 Senate Campaign and 1968 Presidential Campaign.^6,7,8 Through work on Kennedy’s campaigns, Papert met Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.⁹

After Papert Koenig and Lois disbanded in 1969, Papert became heavily involved in preservation and civic development work.¹⁰ Papert worked closely with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the fight to save Grand Central Terminal as well as in other New York City preservation battles. Papert’s career leading, lobbying, and organizing to protect New York City landmarks and to revitalize West 42nd Street spanned more than 40 years. Papert retired in 2015 and passed away on May 20, 2016 in Manhattan at the age of 89.^11,12

• Carnegie Hill Neighbors
• A founder, President in 1970¹³, and member

• Municipal Art Society
• President 1975-1976¹⁴ and Board Member¹⁵

• Committee to Save Grand Central Station
• Member¹⁶

• 42nd Street Development Corporation
• Founder

• Bryant Park Restoration Corporation
• Founding Member¹⁷

• New York Landmarks Conservancy
• Board Member¹⁸

• Henry Street Settlement
• Board Member¹⁹

After Papert Koenig and Lois’ disbanded in 1969, Papert involved himself in a preservation battle in his neighborhood, Carnegie Hill. Papert became a founding member of the community group Carnegie Hill Neighbors, and served as its first president in 1970.²⁰ The group led efforts to rezone the Carnegie Hill neighborhood which limited the height of buildings to 19 stories.²¹ The group was also influential in designating two sections of the neighborhood as the Carnegie Hill Historic District.^22,23

From 1975 to 1976, Papert was president of the Municipal Art Society. Following Papert’s term as president, Papert continued to work with the Society and served as a Society board member.^24,25,26 Papert helped run the Society’s Committee to Save Grand Central Station in the fight to save Grand Central Terminal and to reinstate its landmark status.^27,28 Notable Committee members included: Robert Wagner, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Edward Koch, and Philip Johnson.^29,30 On April 16, 1978, a day before New York City’s appeal was argued in the Supreme Court, the Committee organized a “Landmark Express” train to Washington “to drum up support for the preservation of Grand Central.”^31,32,33,34 Papert was instrumental in organizing the “Landmark Express” event and the publicity around the fight to save the Terminal.

In 1976, Papert founded the 42nd Street Development Corporation.³⁵ The Corporation sought to revitalize the streets west of 42nd street and to create “a river-to-river grand boulevard” with a trolley system.^36,37 The Corporation is credited with developing “the theaters, restaurants, and apartments known as Theatre Row,” shutting down seedy establishments, helping to build a NYPD Police Stable on 42nd street, and advocating for the designation of artist housing in the Manhattan Plaza complex.^{38,39,40,41,42} In a 2013 oral history conducted by the New York Preservation Archive Project, Papert recalls conceptualizing and developing Theater Row with Robert Moss.⁴³ Papert notably describes how a Floor Area Ratio bonus, a $24 million air rights sale, and City bonus designed for buildings built with theaters in them accelerated renewal in the area.⁴⁴ In a March 2015 interview with W42ST, Papert described the Corporation's work revitalizing the Theater District as his “proudest accomplishment.”⁴⁵

While Papert is well known for his high profile work with the Carnegie Hill Neighbors, the Municipal Art Society, and the 42nd Street Development Corporation, Papert worked with other preservation organizations and championed additional preservation and development causes. Papert worked with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in fights to preserve St. Bartholomew’s Church, to save Lever House and Greek Revival buildings at Sailors Snug Harbor, and to restore the Biltmore Theater.⁴⁶ Papert also worked with the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Henry Street Settlement.^47,48

• Brief interview with Fred Papert
• Segment eight: Channel 2 news, aired WCBS-TV, Channel 2, 4/19/82.
• The New York Public Library
• Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
• New York, NY 10018
• http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b16297756

• Oral History with Fred Papert
• New York Preservation Archive Project
• 174 East 80th Street
• New York, NY 10075
• Tel: (212) 988-8379
• Email: info@nypap.org
• March 19, 2013 oral history interview: http://www.nypap.org/oral-history/fred-papert-2/

• “Sages and Stages” speaker series forum
• New York Preservation Archive Project
• 174 East 80th Street
• New York, NY 10075
• Tel: (212) 988-8379
• Email: info@nypap.org
• November 10, 2004 “Sages and Stages” speaker series: http://www.nypap.org/oral-history/fred-papert/

• The Primary Stages Off-Broadway Oral History Project:
• http://primarystagesoffcenter.org/interviews/p-t/fred-papert

• Frederic Papert Personal Papers
• The John F. Kennedy Library
• Columbia Point
• Boston, MA 02125
• 617-514-1629
• www.jfklibrary.org
• https://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/FPPP.aspx?f=