2007 Chabad Telethon to Honor Robert Kite

LOS ANGELES, CA — One of the highlights of the upcoming Chabad “To Life” Telethon will be the presentation of the Lamplighter Humanitarian Award to internationally recognized architect Robert Kite for his dedication to helping the children of Chabad’s Running Springs campus.

When Chabad acquired the 70-acre campus in the S. Bernardino Mountains two years ago, they asked people in the area who the best person would be to help with the renovations. “Everybody said, ‘Robert Kite is the man you want to talk to’,” recalled Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, director of West Coast Chabad. “And they were certainly correct. Because Bob Kite is not only a skilled architect with a wonderful gift — he is also a genuine humanitarian who devotes himself to helping others and serving his community.”

“It’s been a wonderful experience working with Chabad,” said Kite. “The rabbis and their volunteers have all worked diligently helping create a place for children to learn, explore and have fun. I am very proud and pleased to be receiving this award.”

Robert Kite is a treasure of the Southern California architectural community. He has designed hundreds of noteworthy projects in the region — including commercial, institutional, educational, recreational, and residential structures. Few architect’s practices are as diversified as Kite’s, having designed and master planned such projects such as the original 180,000 seat Ontario Motor Speedway, the 13 story Beverly Hillcrest Hotel, and the 16 story 9000 Sunset building, to name just a few.

After serving in the United States Navy (two years of which were in the South Pacific) during World War II, Kite enrolled at the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture. He graduated in the class of 1952 and apprenticed with one of the top architects in Southern California, Albert C. Martin. While at AC Martin, he made a name for himself designing the Rose Hills Memorial Park, which is still considered one of the most masterfully designed memorial institutions in Southern California — a huge accomplishment for a young architect, let alone one just out of college.

Upon leaving AC Martin Partners, he began private practice as Miller, Royer & Kite, then as Kite & Overpeck in Beverly Hills. Over a period of twenty years, this firm became one of the fastest growing and dynamic practices in Southern California. In 1972, Kite sold his interest in the firm and began the next and most exciting stage of his career, pursuing “mega” projects for global architectural and engineering firms.

In 1969, while serving as Director of Business Development of Daniel Mann Johnson & Mendenhall (DMJM), Kite traveled from Singapore to Saudi Arabia to South America. In 1970, after a devastating earthquake ravaged the South American nation of Guatemala, he oversaw the Master Plan for the $2 billion dollar reconstruction of Guatemala City.

“The scope of the tragedy was enormous,” recalled Kite. “How do you accommodate 200,000 homeless people on the spot?” From his work in Guatemala to his serving as Chairman for the Southern California chapter of March of Dimes, Robert Kite has always been a friend to people in need.

Kite inspired his oldest son, Brian, to become an architect and later provided the knowledge and support to initiate his own practice in 1987. The elder Kite came from the genre of “artist architects” and is one of the few architect practitioners capable of designing and rendering his own work with pencil and watercolor. These days, he hands the concept drawings over to computer draftspeople to process the construction documents.

Through his years of experience, he still serves as chief troubleshooter for the firm’s projects, including Chabad’s Running Springs campus. When problems arose with the planning and building departments, as they always do, Kite knew exactly who to contact and how to deliver the winning message.

“On the Chabad project, I probably spent half of my time just getting the necessary clearances from local officials,” said Kite. His ability to cut through red tape and accomplish goals in a timely fashion is legendary in the industry and has proven a great asset to Chabad.

“His generous acts of kindness for those less fortunate bring true meaning to Chabad’s mission of ‘People Helping People’,” said Rabbi Cunin. “With the help of Robert Kite, we are making a difference. He is a true blessing.”

Although Kite officially retired 15 years ago when he moved to Lake Arrowhead, he said, “Somehow I’m working more than ever.” Heading Robert Kite AIA & Associates is not a typical retirement life. For the last ten years he has overseen over 400 projects from small re-designs to large commercial and residential projects both on and “off the hill”. His firm is currently redesigning the entire town of Blue Jay Village, an adjacent community to Lake Arrowhead, in a project that will surely keep Robert Kite busy for some time to come.

The Chabad “To Life” Telethon airs live from Hollywood on September 9 from 4:00 to 10:00 pm, PDT. More information about the program is available at www.ToLife.com

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