Real estate pioneer Tibor Hollo, who transformed a once-neglected downtown Miami with high-rise hotels, condos and office buildings, died on Wednesday. He was 96.

Hollo was the chairman and president of the Brickell-based development firm Florida East Coast Realty, which he established in 1972. His buildings changed the Edgewater and downtown Miami skylines at a time when some questioned the area’s future.

Hollo’s roots go back to Budapest, where he was born in 1927. At age 6, Hollo’s parents moved to Paris, where seven years later the city fell under Nazi Germany’s control. Hollo and his parents were taken to a concentration camp in Auschwitz in 1941. Hollo and his father survived, but neither of them saw Hollo’s mother again. Throughout his life and well into his 90s, Hollo shared his experience of the Holocaust.

A force in South Florida

Real estate development eventually brought Hollo to the United States, where he set out to build in New York City.

He eventually moved to South Florida. He built across Miami-Dade County — from Coral Gables to Miami Beach — as well as in Palm Beach County and Las Vegas.

But he made his biggest mark in the center of Miami, a mark that put his company on the map.

“He was truly in some ways a genius. He saw things before anybody did and did things before anybody could. He always acted with determination and never looked backwards,” said friend Ezra Katz, CEO and founder of the Coconut Grove-based real estate finance firm Aztec Group. “When people said, ‘You can’t do it,’ he never listened.”

“The Hollo family is grieving the loss of Tibor Hollo and would appreciate their privacy at this time,” a family spokesman said in a statement.

Building in Miami’s urban core

Hollo bet early on in Edgewater and the Arts & Entertainment District, formerly known as the Omni District. His developments in those neighborhoods include The Grand, the adjacent Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, and the now closed Omni International Mall. In Miami Beach, Florida East Coast Realty owned the Miami Beach jewel Eden Roc Hotel for a decade before selling it in 1990.

Still, of all of his projects, Hollo may be known most for building the tallest building in Miami.

At 867 feet, the residential and office Panorama Tower soars over Brickell, followed by Aston Martin Residences at 817 feet. Panorama Tower faced several hurdles after construction started and soon paused during the Great Recession under a different developer. Florida East Coast Realty took over and resumed work in 2014, and the 85-story building made its debut in 2018.

“Panorama was in his late 80s,” Katz said, noting Hollo’s age at the time. “Everyone said, ‘No one could do that,’ and he said, ‘Watch me.’ He said, I’m going to finish it.’”

Developers soon followed Hollo’s path, including Edgewater kings Melo Group and the prominent Related Group. Together, these developers and others like Ugo Colombo built a new urban core and skyline.

“The privilege of knowing Tibor Hollo for over 40 years and having the benefit of his thoughtful advice will always be present in my mind. Tibor was a visionary and a true leader in shaping the landscape of Miami. A very astute and capable businessman — he was always fair in our dealings and caring in his comments,” said Adolfo Henríquez, vice chairman of Related Group. “My thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful wife, Sheila, his children and grandchildren. Tibor left an indelible legacy in Miami and in the lives of so many of us.”

Giving back to Miami

Hollo married his first wife, Doris, in 1950. After a divorce, he married Sheila in 1967. Hollo raised six children.

Work tied the Hollo family together. Sons Jerome and Wayne lead the company as co-CEOs and his grandson Austin oversees the firm as COO.

Philanthropy was also important to the family. Tibor and Sheila Hollo donated to many causes, including Florida International University’s real estate department. Thanks to a $2.5 million endowment in 2012, the university opened a real estate-focused campus in Brickell. The department was renamed the Tibor & Sheila Hollo School of Real Estate.

While juggling family, work and philanthropy, Hollo made time for close friends, including Katz. Hollo and Katz go as far back as 1980, each swapping stories of the Holocaust, Hollo’s being first-hand experiences and Katz retelling those of his parents. For Katz, there was always something to learn from his friend, a friend who “loved sharing stories” and could do so in several languages, including his native Hungarian, French, Russian, Yiddish or English.

“He was a survivor in many aspects of his life,” Katz said, highlighting Hollo’s determination. “I believed he was like that as a young guy. You could see his determination every day. He knew what he was doing. He did it his way. ...

He was an immense human being. This community will miss him and I don’t think we’ll see someone like him again.”

Services and survivors

Hollo is survived by his wife, Sheila, four children and several grandchildren.

Hollo’s funeral was Friday at Temple Emanu-El in Miami Beach. He was buried at Lakeside Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Doral.